Dr Shabir Choudhry explained situation of human
rights in Pakistan and Gilgit Baltistan and Azad Kashmir, in a seminar during
28th session of the UN Human Rights Council on 13 March 2015
Mr Chairman,
friends and colleagues aslamo alaikam and very good morning to you all.
It is sad to
note that human rights situation is not getting better in South Asia. Be it in
India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, and Afghanistan or in other countries of the
region, state and non state actors are committing human rights abuses.
Extremism, violence and religious intolerance is increasing; and people are
denied of their fundamental rights.
People in
position of power can always protect their rights; but ordinary people in
society suffer the most, especially in a society where there are weak state
institutions and no equality or rule of law. In undemocratic countries laws
could be there, but there is no implementation and people continue to suffer.
This is more
so in countries like Pakistan which has democracy in name only; and they
continue to sponsor extremist policies and use non state actors as proxies to
advance their agenda. The UN urge states and I quote:
‘To promote a culture of peace, justice and human
development, ethnic, national and religious tolerance, and respect for all
religions, religious values, beliefs or cultures by establishing and
encouraging, as appropriate, education and public awareness programmes
involving all sectors of society’. Unquote
Instead of promoting
a culture of peace, ethnic and religious tolerance, in Pakistan we witness a
policy of promoting extremism, terrorism and religious intolerance, where
members of religious minorities are persecuted by fanatic religious groups; and
authorities cannot even provide protection to these people, or prosecute the
culprits because of fear of reprisals.
In some cases, some
officials think what has happened to these victims is somehow justified because
they believe in a different God; and what they practise is different to what
they believe and practise. They hold these views because their minds are
conditioned due to many years of negative propaganda against religious
minorities. In this case, countries like India, Bangladesh and Afghanistan etc
could also be held responsible for injustice and persecution of religious
minorities.
Mr Chairman
First responsibility
of a government is to protect life, property and liberty of all its citizens.
However, when state patronage is available to promote extremism and terrorism;
and terrorist groups are regarded as holy warriors and strategic assets, then ordinary
people suffer. Even people with high status in society could also pay a big
price for following a religion which is at variance with fanatics who are
pursuing policies that are against interests of the ruling elite.
We people of Jammu
and Kashmir State are forcibly divided; and suffer on both sides of the divide.
We suffer when Pakistani trained militant uses his gun; or when a member of the
Indian Para - military forces uses his gun. We suffer when Pakistani army uses
guns on Line Of Control; and we also suffer when the Indian army use their
guns. We are sandwiched between two competing countries; hence we are forcibly
divided, occupied and oppressed.
On the Indian side of
the divide, at least, people can express their views. They can criticise New
Delhi, condemn their policies, hold public meetings and rallies, throw stones
at them and even burn their national flag. On the Pakistani side of the divide
we cannot even protest peacefully.
It must be made clear
that the entire state of Jammu and Kashmir is disputed; and we people of the former
Princely State will have the final say on future of Jammu and Kashmir. Gilgit
Baltistan and so called Azad Kashmir are not part of Pakistan; and we must have
every right to express our opinion on that, and protest against imperialist
policies of Islamabad.
Leaders of an alliance
called, All Parties National Alliance held a peaceful public meeting in Gilgit
to protest against wrong policies of Islamabad. No one was carrying guns or
stones. No one burnt a Pakistani flag or even used derogatory language against Pakistani
rulers, yet 19 leaders who were present there were charged under seditions
laws; among them include 3 leaders of Kashmir National Party.
Question is, if we
are not legally part of Pakistan, and we feel we are occupied, then how could
it be sedition to express our opinion on this matter?
Kashmir National
Party leaders have decided to go back to Gilgit Baltistan in protest and
challenge the authorities. It is possible that ruthless secret agencies and
their proxies could eliminate these people or, at minimum, imprison them, just
like they have jailed innocent people like Baba Jan on fake charges. Baba Jan
and his colleagues were only demanding that people uprooted by floods should be
rehabilitated. Authorities in this Pakistani colony did not like this, and they
charged them for sedition and tried them in anti terrorist courts and
imprisoned them.
Just imagine, a
peaceful protest for rehabilitation of uprooted people is deemed as terrorism
in this Pakistani colony; but killing of Salman Taseer, a Governor of Punjab by
Mumtaz Qadri, a fanatic who was employed to protect his life, is not regarded
as terrorism. How could one get justice and equality in a country like
Pakistan, or anyone with common sense wish to accede to this country which has
no future and with atrocious record on human rights?
Mr Chairman
Just like right of
expression, a right to assemble and a right to travel is also a fundamental
right. The authorities in Pakistan don’t allow this right to be exercised by
those who criticise wrong policies of Pakistan which are designed to produce
more extremists and terrorists. The prime example of this is in the case of Mr.
Abdul Qadeer, known as Mama Qadeer, General Secretary of Voice of Baloch
Missing Persons, Ms Farzana Majeed and one activist, Ms Faiqa Baloch from
proceeding to New York, USA, to attend a conference on human rights violations
in Balochistan and Sindh.
None of these people
had any criminal record; nor they were required in any court of law, yet the
democratic government of Islamic Republic of Pakistan abruptly
put their names in the Exit Control List (ECL) without giving any reasons as to
why they were put on ECL list.
When
it comes to inequality and injustice no one can rival Pakistani officials; name
of Faiqa Baloch was not included in the ECL, but she was also not allowed to
travel to the USA. Message was loud and clear, how dare you go to the USA and
talk about thousands of missing Balochi people, which will expose Pakistani
policies in Balochistan and Sindh?
As I said earlier, Pakistani governments and their proxies have a great experience in creating extremisms and terrorists of future. By this heavy handedness and by application of Protection of Pakistan Ordinance and military courts, they will surely abuse fundamental human rights in various parts of Pakistan, in Azad Kashmir and in Gilgit Baltistan; however, it is certain that they will also create extremists and terrorists of future too.
Mr
Chairman, I thank you.
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