Human
rights situation in Pakistan
Speech of Dr Shabir Choudhry in a seminar arranged by CIRAC&ICRAC
during the 22 session of the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva
Mr Chairman, friends and colleagues aslamo alaikam
and good afternoon
It is unfortunate that whoever speaks about
problems of Pakistan is immediately declared as ‘anti-Pakistan’ and ‘agent’ of
some country; and intimidated and harassed and in some cases killed. Let me
declare that I am not anti - Pakistan; however, I am seriously concerned about
what goes on there, as it also concerns me and my countrymen.
I want Pakistan to be stable, democratic and
responsible country that promotes peace and tolerance; and that protects all
citizens of Pakistan irrespective of their religious and ethnic background. It
is sad that those who run affairs of Pakistan have different agenda. Their
agenda seems to be promotion of religious hatred, extremism, and terrorism; and
this policy has come to haunt Pakistan, hence the present chaos and terrorism
which is tearing Pakistani society apart. I and many others strongly believe
that destruction and disintegration of Pakistan is not in the best interest of
people of South Asia, so we should help to make Pakistan stable and democratic.
It is prime responsibility and duty of the State to
protect life, liberty and property of the people. However, in Pakistan and
Pakistani Administered Kashmir and in Gilgit Baltistan, secret agencies and
those religious and terrorist patronised by them have a licence to kill and
torture innocent people.
Article 25 of the Constitution of Pakistan provides
that “all citizens are equal before law and are entitled to equal protection of
law”. Reality, however, is that only some people benefit from this law; and
majority of people feel unsafe in Pakistan. This is the country that was
established in name of Islam and for Muslims; what to talk of rights and protection
of minorities when even Muslims are not safe there.
Situation is so bad that every other day incidents
of violence and terrorism take place and valuable human lives are lost. Members
belonging to ethnic minorities or certain religious groups are systematically
targeted and killed. Even places of worship are also attacked and destroyed. People
in Balochistan, FATA, Gilgit Baltistan, so called Azad Kashmir and other parts
of Pakistan are subject to massive human rights abuses.
Report of the Working Group on Enforced or
Involuntary Disappearances on its mission to Pakistan (10 to 20 September
2012), and presented to the UN Human Rights Commission on 26 February 2013,
during 22 Session says and I quote:
‘Pakistan has endured several periods of military dictatorship
throughout its history, which have resulted at times in massive violations of
human rights. The perceptions of different groups in society of not being
treated on an equal footing with others created frustrations and demands that
were often countered by violent means and further inequalities’. Page 5 Unquote
It is good to note that Pakistan has ratified the
International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights and of the Convention
against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment;
but question is what has changed since this ratification. Killing of innocent
people has increased, and different sects of Islam are targeted and killed
mercilessly. Apart from that members of ethnic minorities are regularly attacked,
their houses burnt, and at times, forced to convert or killed.
Pakistani officials claim that because they are
fighting terrorism and that result in strict procedures and some abuse of human
rights. First thing is who created and promoted these terrorist groups. One CIA
report asserted that Pakistani agencies are God Father of the Taliban and
groups that promote religious hatred and terrorism. Documents obtained under the Freedom of Information Act by the National
Security Archive at George Washington University, titled: Pakistan – The
Taliban’s God Father claim that and I
quote:
‘State Department cables and U.S. intelligence
reports describe the use of Taliban terrorist training areas in Afghanistan by
Pakistani-supported militants in Kashmir, as well as Pakistan's covert effort
to supply Pashtun troops from its tribal regions to the Taliban cause in
Afghanistan-effectively forging and reinforcing Pashtun bonds across the border
and consolidating the Taliban's severe form of Islam throughout Pakistan's
frontier region’. Unquote
In other words they established these groups, used
them to advance their agenda; and now in name of security and terrorism create
environment that lead to further human rights violations; and perpetrators have
a licence to kill and torture innocent people. Pakistani
establishment is so sincere in export of terrorism and religious hatred that
despite acute economic problems they somehow find funds to help these groups
which promote religious hatred, extremism, violence and terrorism.
The Working Group heard many reports about the
situation in Balochistan, where, according to some reports hundreds of people
are missing; and some of those who were missing since 2010, their dead bodies
were found with signs of torture. Some dead bodies were decomposed so badly
that their relatives were unable to identify them.
The Working Group heard similar reports from the Province
of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, where relatives were asked to collect dead bodies and ‘ordered
to bury them within 30 minutes’, which practically meant not all relatives
could see the dead person and mourn his death or give the dead person last bath
and religious prayer before burial. The authorities know how important it is
for a Muslim to be given the last bath and hold a prayer for the deceased, but
in the land of pure not all are entitle to this last ritual.
Mr
Chairman
Religious fanatics have become too powerful in
Pakistan and in areas of the State of Jammu and Kashmir controlled by Pakistan.
Because of the official patronage they call the shots and continue to harass
and intimidate people and some cases kill and torture them. According to a
report of The Asian Human Rights Commission, one
human rights organisation, which operated in Gilgit Baltistan and
advanced the rights of women and children, was banned due to the pressure of
Muslim extremist group.
The Association of Global Humanists and Ethics
(AGHE) was registered in 2005 under the Voluntary Social Welfare Agencies
(Registration and Control Ordinance1961 (XLV OF Pakistan). Its registration
number (2005) JC-16 (91) and was registered on September 26, 2005. The AGHE worked
in various districts of Gilgit Baltistan on the issues of tolerance in society,
women rights, and education of
girls. How religious fanatics with tunnel vision could tolerate education of
girls and promotion of rights of women. They started a campaign against this,
and the government of Gilgit Baltistan could not handle the pressure; and in
order to appease the fanatics, who have killed many innocent people in
sectarian violence, decided to ban the activities this human rights
organisation.
No matter how many International Covenants on Civil
and Political Rights Pakistan may sign, their policy and treatment is unlikely
to change. Who know better than us people of Jammu and Kashmir who are forcibly
divided and are subject to inhuman and degrading treatment? Mohammed Ali
Murtaza lived in district Kotli which is part of Pakistani Administered
Kashmir. He went to visit his sister who lived in a village near the Line of
Control. Pakistani Security men abducted him and took him away to their torture
cell.
I agree that area near
the LOC is perceived as sensitive, and the secret agencies have to keep watch
for terrorists and infiltrators. However, the man they arrested and tortured
was not a suspect. He was not doing anything suspicious. He had his Identity
Card with him that clearly showed who he was and where he lived. He had his
mobile phone with him as well. The secret agency people could have proved his
credentials within minutes if they wanted; and he could have been released.
Instead of doing the
obvious, they stripped him naked, tortured him by hammering nails and drilling
various parts of his body. After killing this innocent man with inhuman torture
brave soldiers of Islamic republic of Pakistan ordered the relatives of the
deceased that the body could only be released if they tell people that he
entered red zone and got killed by the Indian bullets in cross firing. Also
they told them the body must be buried immediately at night without opening the
coffin; and that they must not complain against this. They did not forget to
give threat to grief- stricken family that it is in your own interest that you
follow these instructions and keep your mouths shut.
Mr
Chairman
Due to shortage of time, I had to
skip certain details about the case of Ali Murtzaza. Also I cannot give you
details of other forms of human rights abuses that are taking place in Azad Kashmir
and Gilgit Baltistan. I request the UN Human Rights Council to send a fact
finding mission to the area; and help us to get our fundamental rights including
right to determine our own future.
Writer is
a political analyst and author of many books and booklets. Also he is Director Institute of Kashmir Affairs.Email:drshabirchoudhry@gmail.com
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