October 1, 2016
Karachi,
October 1: The
Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP) has expressed grave apprehensions
over the prevailing human rights concerns in Karachi being aggravated by new
problems cropping up in recent months.
In a
statement issued on Saturday, the Executive Council of the Commission said that
it had decided to hold its autumn meeting in Karachi this time due to the
gravity of the situation developing in the city. HRCP stated: “Three years of
the Rangers operation in Karachi have been completed this month. There is no doubt
that the incidents of targeted killing and extortion have fallen significantly;
however, cases of extrajudicial killing and torture continue to be reported. It
is a matter of great dismay and concern that little has been done to
systematically investigate these cases.
“Complaints
of enforced disappearance in the city are on the rise, with many people
targeted because of their political affiliation. Even the figures released by
the officially constituted commission of enquiry into enforced disappearance
indicate the extent of the problem in this part of the country. The report of
the UN Working Group on Enforced and Involuntary Disappearance (WGEID) has also
cited complaints of enforced disappearance, especially of those believed to be
associated with the Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM).
“Our
concerns have risen greatly over an increasingly expanding role of the Rangers
in the city’s political affairs, particularly the tactics used to push MQM
against the wall.
“The
militant wings of political parties, MQM included, seem to have been silenced
for now, but not brought to justice. How and when the next episode of factional
fighting unfolds might well determine the scale of any recurrence in
large-scale violence in Karachi.
“The
people are justified in inquiring how any gains made through the Karachi
operation could be sustained. In that respect, it is vital that details
regarding prosecution of suspects and conviction rates are shared. HRCP is
disappointed that efforts have not been made to strengthen civilian policing
capacity in the city. We implore the authorities to start remedying that even
at this late stage.
“Lack of
representative and responsible governance in Karachi, as indeed in other major
cities of the country, is having an adverse effect on the basic entitlements of
the people. This state of governance has also affected the functioning of the
local government in the city. Sanitation has been grossly ignored. Traffic
disorder is getting worse by the day. At the same time, the people’s problems
of unemployment, food, health and security are aggravating. It is not difficult
to understand why some might find the situation in Karachi ‘appalling’ and ‘at
a breaking point’.
“Overall,
a display of responsive governance and enabling the local government to operate
effectively is vital to stem the rot and lead to due attention being paid to
people’s problems.”
Zohra
Yusuf
Chairperson
On behalf of HRCP Executive Council
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