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INTERNATIONAL HUMAN RIGHTS DAY 2008 ‐ PAKISTAN asian Military Religious Honour The lawyers’ dismissal human
‐The ‐ ‐The ‐ ‐Disappearances ‐Children’s ‐Police ‐ ‐Freedom 1 2 3 4 5 7 6 8 9 10‐ The
The Introduction
The PAKISTAN 2 d (from January 8 AHRC‐SPR‐014‐2008 lice and citizens.
that time also slowed political f handed power to the elected ter declaring a state of emergency ing a military dictator. The people of es Party (PPP), was assassinated on
focus on the democratic functioning of ons would be held, due to a series of ernment according to the constitution. KISTAN and a good turnout was recorded. The inistration’s refusal to replace the long‐ oust the dictator, General (Ret.) Pervez m Bhutto’s Pakistan People’s Party and egime, particularly for lawyers, political y were then postpone nt struggle of various sections of society e recent years there was clear consensus s deposed judges, who the PPP have not crisis in law and order. About 80 persons vernment started proceedings by including ategy of the government proved a peaceful with individual party members. h back the military agenda. well as the legislators is a clear example of o deny the vote to about 380 million people. mocratic government. Even the support that the army and overseas yielded little success a second presidential term on November 29, from political parties, civil society and from restraint. Unfortunately NS pulled out of the ssfire between the po on on some democracies in developed countries ENERAL MUSHARRAF
IGHTS DAY 2008 ‐ PA
INTRODUCTION
ment. A wave of bomb blasts at ed himself with another term af ent over the issue of Pakistan’ ent and determined struggle to , after considerable bargaining e people have been able to pus ry regime, on the pretext of a rom the super powers did not deter the people of Pakistan from pursuing process, showing tolerance and the assassination, mostly in cro commission
rights
THE DISMISSAL OF G human tives two INTERNATIONAL HUMAN R asian ufficiently reinstated. representa months later
s assertive action by the people and party The year started with widespread confusion about whether delays electi from the Musharraf mechanisms. However the general elections were eventually held govern elections were also relatively free and fair thanks to pressure forces outside of the country. In the run up to the elections, members prevented much engineering of the vote, despite the adm serving chief election commissioner, who had tried and failed t Finding results of the election very much against Under him, the new Musharra civilian coalition government – Nawaz Sharif’s Pakistan Muslim League there has been much more largely built fro the parliament by the representatives of the people. The new go all the parties in the political coalition in August in disagreem
General Musharraf, who had award until February 18) by the milita were killed in riots following (November 3, 2007), was democratically dismissed by the new gov Finding that his options were few – pressure from his allies in – Musharraf resigned before being officially impeached. The str and democratic way to handle a man who was on the road to becom Pakistan have shown their resili Musharraf from the post of president. This completely non‐viole which included lawyers, judges, the ordinary folk, the media as the development of democracies on the basis of consensus. In th that the people did not want a military regime but instead a de the military dictator received f their desire to see the end of militarism. It is a sad reflecti that they failed to support the people in their struggle for democracy and instead supported a military general. That notwithstanding, th The year started violently under General Musharraf’s military r workers and civil society activists. Musharraf was sworn in for 2007 under emergency rule, which he then lifted on December 15, 2007. Benazir Bhutto, former prime minister and the chairperson of the then‐running Pakistan Peopl December 27, 2007. General elections of the legislative assembl
PAKISTAN 3 ed by Musharraf’s AHRC‐SPR‐014‐2008
continued in spite of the new spect for the rule of law and the bearers in various high court bar ch was several hundred miles long), ourt bar association and Multan bar ges, all the lawyers, their leaders, civil ppointed’ with a new oath rather than first promised to restore the judiciary rnment. aza Gilani has started to sift through the gency rule and have yet to be reinstated. released those arrest posed judges to guarantee their ‘loyalty’. ‐wide protests against the suspension of n the first anniversary state of emergency nt, showing a similar lack of interest in ds, charging more than 100 lawyers with an high courts bar associations. The new rts in protest during lawyer’s movement. tan Bar Council and offices of law ministry tional assembly, which did not happen. It Bar associations, including Supreme court wyers’ movement has been running since than those used during colonial rule, when udhry, claiming that the lawyer’s movement ve locked judges inside the court rooms. imes appears to be backtracking. This response
protests by marching (one mar d on the charges of agitation o ency rule lawyers held country w to pressure from the new gove ted most judges have been ‘re‐a this matter are hardly better dents of the Peshawar and Mult to reinstate Chief Justice Cho squeezing lawyers through Pakis UMAN RIGHTS DAY 2008 ‐ PAKISTAN mission THE LAWYERS’ MOVEMENT com THE HUMAN RIGHTS SITUATION
rights
human INTERNATIONAL H asian n November 3. backlog of cases involving human rights government during emergency rule. This includes the deposed jud violations, and it had society activists and political workers.
Since coming to power the government of Prime Minister Yousaf R government’s illegal, unconstitutional handling of the situation. Many judges, including Chief Justice Iftekhar Choudhry, were removed from their positions under emer On the first anniversary of emerg The lawyers’ movement for the independence of the judiciary has
o The government has faced defeats in the elections of different boycotting the courts, and picketing outside parliament and Supreme Court buildings. In a number of cases the people have joined them, showing a growing awareness and re supremacy of the judiciary in the country. bar association, which has put the government in difficult position to get support from lawyers. In retaliation, government started and Attorney general. Licenses of association were cancelled on the pretext of boycotting the cou presidents of Peshawar high c More than 100 lawyers were booke loyalty was prized above a respect for the constitution. The la March, 2007. They observe weekly government is resisting its duty The government’s new policies in the constitution. The government took the law in to its own han agitation and suspending the associations, including the presi licenses of more than five office has started to take violent shape. Lawyers in various cities ha The new government had pledged verbally and in writing to restore the judiciary when it came into power. It has been dragging its feet on the issue ever since, and at t brings it closer to the country’s previous building dictatorial an independent governme judiciary. The coalition government had within 30 days of its formation, through a resolution in the na then claimed that the deposed judiciary would be restored through a constitutional package; however it is now using a form of back‐door diplomacy, bargaining with the de After being coerced and intimida restored to their original constitutional position. There Choudhry, who have refused to bo are five judges, including deposed Chief Justice PAKISTAN 4 of the
sed against them in , forcibly married to ious groups and law been started between ) agencies are largely an a dozen people have here are currently no so an alarming lack of AHRC‐SPR‐014‐2008 sentences and has halted rnment. State intelligence persons since the start of sprudence in the country. rom the political parties in mosphere of reconciliation ples. The efforts should be ence (though this can often ter has admitted that about operation‐ridden southern y the government. Torture is litical workers from the area, s law, Christians, Hindus and
udiciary, regarding the use of and fundamentalist parties. In itary activity continue in some e uzdar. Many po mainfil .php/2008statements/1574/
appearance of more than 4,000 cy custody. The interior minis arries an obligatory death sent evelopment in criminal law juri onals, particularly the lower j ohlo, Sui and Kh Balochistan province alone.
commission
http://www.ahrchk.net/statements/ rights
It is in the process of commuting the over 7,000 current death executions, working against popular conservative Islamic princi applauded and the government is working hard to rally support f parliament. People are beginning to feel a kind of security in the military province of Balochistan, but air strikes and other forms of mil parts, particularly Dera Bugti, K some prominent, have been released from prison. A dialogue has Baloch nationalist militant groups and the government and an at is starting to form. The issue of missing persons is yet to be addressed by the gove agencies are independent in their working, though under it the is declared prime that minister. they are The responsible for the arrest and dis working ISI and Military Intelligence (MI There are 52 torture centres in Pakistan, all under the control army. Religious minority people remain under enforcement agencies. The blasphemy law is being increasingly u threat from Muslim relig ordinary feuds, and the charge c be lifted with blood money). Though Muslims do fall foul of thi particularly the Ahmadis, a minority sect of Islam, are the main victims, and also suffer from attacks during worship, and from their daughters being abducted Muslims and thus ‘converted’, often never to be seen again. the ‘war on terror’, as reported by various nationalist groups the nine months since the new government took power not more th resurfaced from intelligence agen torture. The cost of using torture as a tool of law in Pakistan is underestimated and there has been a significant lack of d 1,000 people are missing from The issue of torture in custody is not being properly handled b still considered the best way of taking confessional statements by the police and making money through bribery, and this view is not being discouraged. During the last nine months at least fifteen people have died under police interrogation. T independent procedures for looking into such sensitivity among legal professi cases. There is al human • • •
• INTERNATIONAL HUMAN RIGHTS DAY 2008 ‐ PAKISTAN asian •
PAKISTAN 5
l Malik were arters, Malir, Sipah‐e‐Sahaba ugh leaders and AHRC‐SPR‐014‐2008 Nabi Bux, Pakistan day light by armed sasination) and Ejaz i, Purana Golimar, in s of the city, such as mits, after he offered months in city Karachi,
ng home for Nazimabad no go’ areas for activists ader were killed in New Siddiqe Akbar, Shamsul lled in separate incidents t le (PML‐Q) was killed in abad, Landhi, Saudabad, the ical party, Sardar Shah was rs killed so far. d in Chakra Goth at Korangi. another le uring the pas
Korangi, Ranchorline, Garden, o t Central in Sir Syed police li istan Peoples Party (the ruling party), including its top I
October 28, 2003. commission
ngi. There rights
M and Model Colony, respectively. ar, Sharah‐e‐Noor Jahan, Zaman Town, Clifton, Kalakot, Baldia Town and Sohrab aq, and two men praying at the mosque, Mohammad Kamal and Abdu akistan (SSP) President Distric n the evening of Saturday 01 November, 2008, at Petal Wali Gal f MQ Haqiqi, and the Altaf grup is murdering their way thro uards of MQM, a coalition party in the government, after leavi PMLN party's Sindh Vice‐President Tariq Khan and o Karachi. of target killings in different areas of Karachi, such as Nazim Korangi Industrial Area, Azizabad, Brigade, Korangi, Jamshed Qu Sharifabad, Garden, Gulshan, and Liaquatabad. There are clear ‘ workers one by one. o maat e Islami leader was killed in the Al‐Falah area. leader Khalid Shahenshah (an eye witness of Benazir Bhutto’s as Qureshi were killed in separate incidents Gulshan‐e‐Iqbal in Town, the Saeedabad, different area Baza Goth. killed in Ora is a long list of JUI leaders and worke printing press in the Nazimabad area was allegedly murdered in g on November 3, 2008. Town Taimooria. 02, 2008) on 40 year‐old Ghulam Mohammed left Fatima Colony in H brutally murdered on P prayers at the Siddiq‐i‐Akber Mosque. human leader of the Jamiat Ulema slam (JUI), a religious cum polit e ruling coalition has government Balochistan National Party‐Mengal (BNP‐M) Karachi President Zahid Baloch was murdered A total 34 workers of the Mohajir Qaumi Movement‐Haqiqi were ki A total of 11 workers of the Pak Saif‐ur‐Rehman, aged 33, a resident of Street No 22, Model Colony, Karachi, who ran a A A Ja A leader of JSQM, Dil Murad, (known as Dilbar Mirani) was kille A leader of the former ruling party during General Musharraf ru Four unidentified men, riding on two motorcycles, opened fire near Nagan Chowrangi (Nov Seminary teacher, Shahzaib Alam, a Pesh Imam of the Jama Masjid The INTERNATIONAL HUMAN RIGHTS DAY 2008 ‐ PAKISTAN asian • • • • • • • • • • • where th A history of murder: political and religious activists killed d
PAKISTAN 6 sentences to life be hung in October AHRC‐SPR‐014‐2008
: Corruption throughout the legal ily and was unable to afford legal of the blasphemy law (see Religious KISTAN ommuted all death Dogar who intervened with sou moto ive countries in the world that have h he can’t speak English. Requests for black warrants continue to be served. children, and many have not received a ces but was impeded by conservative orities of another jail, Mach Central Jail, China, Iran and Saudi Arabia. There are ingly. Yet he was himself hung in a coup, istan are met with strong pressure from
to the fundamental principles of Islam. ow. Often, after years of trial a defendant ementing the decision through legislation; and was scheduled to years ever since. A decade and a half later akistan announced that it would commute debates on abolition may be possible in the into regarding his unfair trial. ; in one known case Mutabar Khan was hung lly underage when they broke the law. tenced from the gallows while she was prime tical or personal vengeance. i : The death penalty has been debated before in Supreme Court, Dogar, was not elected, but was
1‐THE RIGHT TO LIFE RIGHTS DAY 2008 ‐ PA
fe sentence to 25 years accord the death penalty is according all but a handful of those sen row, including 41 women and two no legal solution has been looked commission
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the penalty was reintroduced and the life sentence has been 25 his daughter Benazir Bhutto kept imprisonment and he extended a li minister. Suggestions to commute or abolish the sentence in Pak religious groups, who claim that Pakistan. In the seventies Prime Minister Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto c Earlier this year the cabinet tried to commute the death senten religious party members, along with Chief Justice Abdul action. It should be noted that the chief justice of Pakistan’s Hameed appointed by former President Musharraf during emergency rule.
NO ACCESS TO A FAIR TRIAL A HISTORY OF DISSENT
On July 2, 2008, in a heartening step, the federal cabinet of P current death sentences into life imprisonment, suggesting that coming year. However the party has been very slow to start impl at least four inmates have been hanged in the period since and Pakistan executes the most people in the world each year after more than 7,200 people on death fair trial. Although the Pakistan Juvenile Justice System Ordinance was extended to apply nationwide in 2004, implementation remains limited. Pakistan executed a minor/juvenile offenders in the last couple of years is one of just f on June 13, 2006 for a crime committed when he was 16, and auth have acknowledges holding two juvenile offenders on its death r will have trouble convincing the judge that he or she was actua Many, among the 7,200 on death row, are also there as a result Freedom). This is a crime that carries an obligatory death sentence but for which evidence is often tenuous and the law is often used in disputes over property or for pol
despite the commutation announcement. Ali comes from a poor fam representation so he tried to mount his own defense, clemency were denied by the President, but at the eleventh hour, Ali was given a fifteen day stay. The stay even thoug has so far been extended, but Zulfiqar Ali, 38, has been on death row for more than a decade system along with the widespread use of torture in police custody, means that many innocent people are on Pakistan’s death row. Whether innocent or not, many of the accused do not receive a fair trial. PAKISTAN
7 in ey
on the final day. young AHRC‐SPR‐014‐2008
a
abolished. to usually after a blood mon 50/
e to commute given Terrorist court of
condemned prisoners in Adiala Jail, is payment was made ison, Punjab province the execution of Mr. s diyat to the mother, nt the AHRC reported to widespread judicial ’s relatives, position against the religious right, and (ICESCR) of the UN. In article 6(1) the opment, the AHRC wish tal sex to drug trafficking, many of them and tends to give the wealthy a certa pardoned him in writing before the court han received a stay an extensive rehaul of Pakistan’s judicial emergency. trial, the death penalty in d Political Rights (ICCPR) and ratified the are dealt out more freely because judges e. This suggests that further positive action drive. According to article 6 (1) Pakistan in abolishing the death penalty. ion‐making machinery does not lie with the wer must revise the list of crimes met with king time to commute death sentences in to execution torture. People are still being executed despite
of be
Ullah Khan. Th stay
the
by is government’s repeated promis
ic, Social and Cultural Rights endous pressure from religious parties and the chief justice Dogar, d man, Mr Mumtaz rts will often urge family members to resolve matters on the side; it’s rer can be pardoned by a victim neral Musharraf during rule of heartened nt of blood money. Fortunately K
should is commission
rights
movement row human rights death
lamic Sharia law a murde INTERNATIONAL HUMAN RIGHTS DAY 2008 ‐ PAKISTAN asian http://www.ahrchk.net/statements/mainfile.php/2008statements/17 on
Pakistan’s death sentences to life imprisonment, and that, due corruption and the inability of the courts to guarantee a fair Pakistan URL: The AHRC wishes to thank President Asif Ali Zardari Umer Khan, due to be hanged on October 29, 2008 at Mian Wali Pr for staying Mr. Khan has been given a two‐month stay. In a previous stateme that Khan (23) paid more than one million rupees (US$ 16,500) a wife and children of the murdere decision. However the before the District and Session court and also before the Anti Sargodha district. The family then pardoned Umer Khan in writing before the court on May 9, 2007, and the judge has also made a note of this in his government refused to withdraw the case. In light of this devel to remind President Zardari of h Human man ICCPR states that “every human being has the inherent right to life”. However life in Pakistan can be taken by the government for a wide array of offences, from extra‐mari introduced during military dictator Zia‐ul‐Haq‘s ‘Islamisation’ should abolish the death penalty; at the very least those in po death. In order to prevent the execution of innocent Pakistanis system is necessary, plus the strategic abolition of custodial the current government’s stance, suggesting that the real decis elected government. Those that were elected must take a strong move to join Pakistan with the majority of the developed world Pakistan recently signed the International Covenant of Civil an International Covenant on Econom
In October 2008 President Zardari instructed approximately 400 appointed by former president ge Rawalpindi, Punjab province to be shited from death cells to ordinary barracks, and some 250 condemned prisoners to be similarly relocated in Hyderabad, Sindh provinc is imminent and the government, in its political expediency, ta life imprisonment under the trem payment called diyat, and the cou what many human rights NGOs call the ‘privatisation of impunity. Because of diyat it is suspected that death penalties justice’ assume a settlement will be found. However in the case of 23 year‐old inmate Umer Khan, a black warrant was issued in October 2008, even though the victim’s family had on May 9, 2007, after the payme Under Is PAKISTAN 8
adi conspiracy to get ts of Islam. Four have AHRC‐SPR‐014‐2008
im co‐workers, who e on the government’s deletion of Sharif’s term as prime minister. The 7 year‐old Hindu, had ctive tension between the country’s ny cases it is used to settle personal atistics were first compiled) around 93 lso being used to stoke the power of d in revenge for the continuing conflict lly banned insults directed against any inorities in their areas, often referring to Those that belong to religious minorities listed separately in the electoral system – love with a Muslim girl who : While in power, President General and those of the Islam‐based Ahmadi sect ly to Islam. The Federal Sharia Court then targeting for kidnapping and lynching, with ich is based on the tene the removal was an Ahm
in view of the police and the management
. Hindus are also being targete revealed later that he was in d, and to date, no official inquiries have been initiated. urder took place r allegiance to their sect, wh for Ahmadi sect members to be ‐Ul‐Haq altered it to apply on gled them out for further attacks. In 2004 a Pakistan political party, the wield it against liberals. ronic passports, claiming that 2‐ RELIGIOUS FREEDOM AND MINORITIES commission
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reciprocated his feelings. The m of the factory in which he worke One example took place in April 8, 2008 when Jagdesh Kumar, a 2 his eyes gauged out before being accused him of blasphemy. It was fatally beaten at work by Musl ver Kashmir.
o churches often burned or damaged Christians feel increasingly terrorized in Pakistan and are the been killed so far this year. a discriminatory action that sin Muttahida Majlis‐e‐Amal (MMA), filed a motion to demand a debat religious information from elect around a ban on non‐Muslims entering Mecca. Since 1984 (when st Ahmadis have been killed for thei Musharraf issued an order calling
BELEAGUERED AHMADIS The blasphemy law: Despite calls for the abolition of blasphemy laws from inside and outside of the country, the Pakistan government has yet to take any genuine steps to do so. Meanwhile, many citizens are being arrested, prosecuted and even killed under the law. In ma Religious freedom in Pakistan remains tremendously restricted. are second‐class citizens and struggle governments also tend to court popularity by cracking down on m to enjoy the rights of an old blasphemy law created in colonial times. The law origina mainstream or orthodox Muslims. Local religion, but in 1986 General Zia made execution a mandatory sentence for blasphemy during Nawaz law is most often activated to discriminate against Christians (which was declared non‐Muslim in 1974 under the Pakistan constitution). openly stoked in Pakistan without punishment. Religious hatred can still be vendettas or to grab land. Just as it continues to cause destru mainstream Muslims and Pakistanis of other faiths, the law is a religious conservatives, who can
PAKISTAN 9 eligious prejudice er married Amjad Ali. e unimpeded exercise of AHRC‐SPR‐014‐2008 cted to the Human Rights
A Chawk Sarwar Shaheed, district se who commit crimes motivated by them. In cases where they are later hey were on their way to their uncle’s Muslim minorities to Islam. The young e promotion of sensitivity and respect pheld. Muhammad Arif, Amjad Ali and se girls are minor. However, the courts In this case custody was granted to the atus of the followers of all religions. They an rights in all societies and cultures. It d combat the extreme r gh the Lahore High Court from July 2008, the 5% of seats reserved for them in the y peoples in Pakistan must be assured of w has recommended that Pakistan remove and it must show much more interest in the y Muslim seminary that the kidnapped girls nstitution enshrine the promotion of human r global initiatives in promoting intercultural Government workers need to set a strong ficate as legitimate. Christians in Pakistan, feel y. The blasphemy law can no longer be used as creed.
008 ‐ PAKISTAN : In its pledge to be re‐ele
: It has become a common practice in Pakistan for some
d that it is a part of all majo es. Articles 9 to 29 of its co rcibly converted for marriage. facing rising incidences of churches being burned or damaged, and the t of religion, race, caste or tion must be set up to gauge an , and the forced marriage was u itical parties and the judiciar s the authorities to effectively protect and satisfy th commission
kidnapping and lynching. rights
human rthodox an
INTERNATIONAL HUMAN RIGHTS DAY 2 asian
Muslim seminaries are encouraging the young men to convert non people generally kidnap the young girls of arrested by the police, they produce a certificate issued by an non Muslims and rape have adopted Islam and that they married the girls. Many of the generally do not consider this fact and simply accept the certi increasingly terrorized. They are targeting of Christians for In some cases, such as that of Saba and Aneela which went throu young girls are kidnapped and fo kidnapper of the older girl (13) Commission in 2006 Pakistan note dialogue and harmony to facilitate universal respect of observed that, according to its constitution, minorities should enjoy equal rights and participate in all hum mainstream politics both through joint electorates, and through parliament and other elected bodi dignity, fundamental freedoms and human rights and the equal st prohibit discrimination on accoun However from the cases above, and the lack of support lent to investigate them, it is clear that much of this is mere posturing. Two years later the Universal Periodic Revie restrictions on freedom of religion or belonging to minorities. It urge belief and amend legislation that discriminates against persons
RELIGIOUS GROUPS CONVERSION OF GIRLS FROM MINORITY THE ABDUCTION AND FORCED ALL TALK, NO ACTION Muhammad Ashraf kidnapped the girls resident of Muzaffargarh on June 26, 2008. The minors were kidnapped when t Chak No. 552/TD residence. The accused claimed that the girls had converted to Islam and the elder sist The government is responsible for the education of its people, freedom of religion of non‐Muslim citizens and the repeal of laws discriminating against non‐Muslims. promotion of rights education among minority Pakistanis, and toward those of non‐Muslim faiths among mainstream Muslims. Tho th religious hate must be clearly and justly punished, and minorit their right to a free, fair example themselves; an investiga investigation of rights violations.
tool of the o d it must be withdrawn. found throughout the police, pol PAKISTAN 10 AHRC‐SPR‐014‐2008 oposals are minor.
: Incidences of violence against positions are being held now by hows a sharp increase in acts of ssembly, the federal minister for STAN t to vote. Many have little or no and of loan programs for women, but as the police and judiciary remain re not directly elected, they are merely dom in Pakistan, but in rural and tribal d to a former president, Benazir Bhutto. are raped every 24 hours in Karachi city se cases, the largest portion (20.9%) was ort announced cases of violence to be up ple, in the case of land distribution in the em. One recent report* (*‘Policy and data aken into the villages and onto the street ne of these women wear hijab, suggesting em, with few women working in either, Pakistan’s Additional Police Surgeon (APS) r for the future of women in Pakistan, with lue as political figures. Critics complain of 107 cases of rape reported in this period, 66 is as a result of social pressure. The number 33% quota in all electorate forums for women eeds to be done the pr ial assault.
N RIGHTS DAY 2008 ‐ PAKI 3‐THE RIGHTS OF WOMEN more social and economic free d further potent sses and local authorities such g more employment opportunities ssembly. However these women a ced that on average 100 women stics are also high. There were commission
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ore unwelcome male attention an of which were gang rape (up from 19). However statistics vary. Dr Zulfiqar Siyal recently announ
women remain very high, and not enough is done to discourage th monitor on violence against women’ aggression against women in the second quarter of 2008. The rep from the Aurat (11.4%) and honour killings were at 7.9%. Foundation) to 1,705, compared with 1,321 between January and March. Of the s for the murder of women, the second largest was bodily assault Suicide and sexual assault stati m
VIOLENCE AGAINST WOMEN Certain pro‐women policies are also being implemented, for exam The stance of the newly‐elected government bodes a little bette President Zardari posturing as pro‐woman. He himself was marrie There are 72 women in the women than ever before, including the speaker of the National A National Assembly and more prominent information and a number of deputy and provincial positions. No progressiveness in the parties who have elected them. Lower Sindh, plots will be registered in the name of the woman in each family unit. The current government has spoken of creatin has not yet acted in this respect, and in terms of what still n
Middle‐class women generally have placed into the positions by their party, which limits their va nepotism. alone. However a tedious, inefficient medical discourages most women (up to 99.5%, says Siyal) from reporting abuse and subjecting themselves to and judicial syst As a legacy of the last president, Pervez Musharraf, there is a at local body level, but too few are being permitted to fill th stands at 17.5% in the National A
areas an estimated 12.5 independence on any level. The advances at the top need to be t million women are still and denied practically the enforced. righ Busine profoundly male‐oriented. PAKISTAN
11
AHRC‐SPR‐014‐2008 SMENT IN
nce in General make her confess to t Government Karachi collect statements from ble Jeopardy, police abuse of women’) ter she filed a complaint, njab province, was gang‐ , and remain mostly uninvestigated and g party council members n council members of the was a Sub Inspector, who erpetrators. Although the ported – there are still no laws to protect on in mid‐air by hands tied behind the ant; they claimed that the ral or tribal areas continue to restrict the to our knowledge not a single officer has iolence bill was given to legislators, in the ities is not challenged, little change can be ich incontrovertible evidence of custodial passed by the cabinet and waits with the e in the north of the country. The persons who helped her icer claimed: “in 95 percent of the cases the ce batons and chilli peppers, into the vagina
: This remains a big problem and few cases result in
cked and threatened with rape by council members of the pressure. The perpetrator girl was abducted by police officials and kept for almost police custody experience physical or sexual abuse at the hands of their cked by the relatives of the p espite these alarming reports, lly coerced her to withdraw it. o commonplace that most go unre rate for judicial remand. commission
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pected to be seen in the general public. In one case in April 2007 it was reported that female oppositio detained the girl outside of the police station until March 29 before she was produced before the first class magist In January 2007 a 15‐year‐old girl, Ms. Asma Shah of Layyah, Pu raped by more than a dozen attackers in Punjab province, yet af politicians and police continua file the case were allegedly atta court ordered inquiries into the case twice, police were resist alleged perpetrators were innocent before any move was made to the victim and witnesses. Karachi city government were atta the Muttehda Qoumi Movement (MQM), Musharraf’s government and the ruling party of the City Distric a member of the (CDGK). Sindh ruling police refused allia to register case against the and instead registered cases of hooliganism. rulin On March 14, 2008, a 17 year‐old 16 days in private custody where she involvement in the murder of her fiancée. Her elder sister was also brought in and held was raped and tortured to naked for three days to increase npunished (see Honour Killings below). These largely take plac Cases of domestic violence are s women from it. However in the last quarter of 2008 a domestic v expectation that it will be passed. A harassment bill committee. Similar bills were drafted by Musharraf’s government has been , but polarisation and infighting among parties prevented many practical bills being passed. However ru freedom of women to the extreme, and ‘honour killings’ continue
u
POLICE CUSTODY RAP “more than 70 percent of women in jailers. Reported abuses include beating and slapping; suspensi victim’s back; the insertion of foreign objects, including poli and rectum; and gang rape. Yet d suffered criminal penalties for such abuse, even in cases in whrape exists”. According to the same report, a senior police off women themselves are at fault.” If the mindset among the author ex prosecution. According to a report by Human Rights Watch, (‘Dou PAKISTAN 12 , and
AHRC‐SPR‐014‐2008 ts. : There is a trend that
by tribalists to protest against the ed at this man’s house her. The husband was filed or burned, and the tan, under the control of Taliban and ing to the law and receive few benefits. ssed during the Musharraf government, , for secretly marrying and owed to pass above grade five (primary eir husbands for little extra remuneration, hools cater to either boys or girls, and in ious fundamentalis occupational abuse. It is mostly women that
: In the workplace women must still contend with lower salaries urts often rule in favour of the abductors. in in Punjab province, Pakistan ment. Through a finance bill pa , such as medical allowances, pregnancy allowances, transport or childcare egistered so are vulnerable to o commission
rights
human
INTERNATIONAL HUMAN RIGHTS DAY 2008 ‐ PAKISTAN asian
living with a man other than the one her parents had chosen forcharged with her abduction, and the woman was punished publicly by being raped by the man she had been instructed to marry. She has since been detain and was forced to abort the foetus that was conceived during the rape. The legal counsel of her original husband has claimed that the case records had been case has been unnecessarily delayed In August 2007 a pregnant woman was severely beaten by the police and later raped repeatedly in public by her cous work in government factories and other informal sectors (unregistered under government laws), and here they have no labour law benefits services from the factory manage sexual misconduct is common. They are generally not paid accord The majority are not officially r most are now expected to work 12 hours rather than the original eight. In rural areas women are often required by employers or landlords to work all day alongside th them into marriage (see involves abducting young Christian and Hindu girls and forcing Minorities/Religious Freedom). Co
ABDUCTIONS REMAIN COMMON
AND AT WORK WOMEN AT A DISADVANTAGE IN SCHOOL
remote areas where several hundred schools were education recently of burned girls in the northern militant mMuslim province, organizations. bordering In such Afghanis areas girls are school level); grade ten is required for many jobs. The authorities mostly fail to intervene in these areas, not all where they are seen to pander to the more powerful of the relig Discrimination is still strong in education. The majority of sc often as bonded labour, to pay ff loans. PAKISTAN
’s to 13
and against
particular
continue
with educational violence will
in of
: However the mass society
AHRC‐SPR‐014‐2008 forms
Pakistan
claimed that: All civil
component
and minorities. killing’. it: maintain its commitment to
om pregnancy and
of 30% of the total
rights
women.
ivists. It is the responsibility of the ough their position is freedoms, including their right to an racted. The slavery of and 9. One example of this ticipation in the formal
labour force has grown ise on a substantial scale, especially in of
growth of awareness on these issues is media rural economy. The rural hrough a national employment policy for aken to see these benefits spread to the
itional mindsets with regards to women ated 100,000 women work ‘honour for gender issues included mainstreaming sion in 2006, it human registered.
whole families work in a form y accounted for in the informal children
through
infamous omen, emancipation
particularly t w
introducing
the by
campaigns ssional and clandestine abortions.
economic
including
society
including and
the t
stan aware of their rights and e male head of the family is in groups
rment of women, law
awareness
view Pakistan’s priority areas
social
"officially" employed because the tion to the Human Rights Commis
rights the
mass
commission to
statistics
vulnerable 000 die from unprofe
– under
and of
human
rights given
dress if abused.
of
levels rights
poverty
being orse toda
human all the punishable
is
and
at on
awareness
are
INTERNATIONAL HUMAN RIGHTS DAY 2008 ‐ PAKISTAN asian
attention perhaps a further 200, Every year some 500,000 women die from complications arising fr women is w y than in any o her time in history. Women Women comprise 49% of the population of Pakistan, and comprise labor force, but 65.7% of this female labour force is officiall sector. The informal sector has grown 8 to 9 problem is that of the brick kiln workers in Pakistan. An estim times since 1978‐7 in brick kilns, but they are not of bonded labour, in which only th Some 66.4% of the female labour force works for a living in the women are said to work between 12 to 16 hours a day. The female at an average annual rate of becoming less secure day by day. On the other hand, women's par 16.7% over the last 15 industrial years, labour alth force is 34.3%, whether self‐employed or cont curricula
emphasis promote overcoming barriers associated with deep‐rooted tribal and trad
Demands made of Pakistan during the 2008 UPR included that that boys. SMALL STEPS HAVE BEEN TAKEN … awareness campaigns from the government have failed to material the northern regions where there are most urgently needed. The due to a stronger interest from the print media and work by act government to make women in Paki In Pakistan’s pledge for re‐elec
women During the Universal Periodic Re investigation and re the political and economic empowe women, to create jobs and widen the participation of women in the economy. This is being done slowly in the country’s economic hubs, but much greater efforts must be t women marginalized in rural areas. Education should be something made equally accessible to girls and PAKISTAN 14 AHRC‐SPR‐014‐2008
rbaric circumstances. Many are ory, and ensure punishment for , and better train police and other on; that it put an end to inequalities ss, by encouraging victims to properly e a way of resolving property disputes, t it prioritize the adoption of legislative t services such as shelters and burn units to another family through marriage. from abuse while at their most vulnerable. lationship out of marriage (which is often a nctified by illegal jirgas or tribal courts, two of sexual assault and other violence against investigate and punish members and leaders legal guarantees with a view to ensuring that disputes. ttle. It is a matter of prestige to have more than ccurred under ba
hs have often o sold into marriage to settle ers who resent losing property inst women; that it thoroughly 4‐ HONOUR KILLINGS AND THE JIRGA commission
rights
human INTERNATIONAL HUMAN RIGHTS DAY 2008 ‐ PAKISTAN asian ne wife and young girls are often eport crimes against them and ensuring that they are protected
In the last six years over 4,000 people have died in murders sa all human rights of perpetrators of all violence aga women are safeguarded throughout its territ thirds of them women. considered Karo‐kiri or ‘black women’, charged with having a re Their deat fabricated claim) while others are victims of rape or are suspected of planning marriages contrary to those arranged for them by their families. This type of murder has become known as ‘honour killing’, and due to the ease by which an unjust sentence is passed, they have becom particularly by male family memb rights, and reinforce the implementation of constitutional and It is especially important that more women be brought into roles in state authorities, particularly into the police sector. This would do h muc to strengthen the legal proce of illegal jirgas for their calls to violence against women; that it do everything possible to prevent early and forced marriage and recognize rape between men and women, particularly for access to property; tha within marriage in legislati and practical measures to raise authorities to deal appropriately and effectively with victims public awareness about the laws women, ensuring victims’ access to justice and improving suppor for women. r In rural, strictly patriarchal areas women’s lives are worth li
o PAKISTAN 15 AHRC‐SPR‐014‐2008
alive in to being the onship). The and with the man who had example of how r weddings. The three girls were girl was mauled nd the aunts, on d by her uncle to ons into the case he father/uncle of l women who had ible have close ties specially those that which the dead girl n. A government probe
2008
local man was forced to confess nce of the police, the daughter and nieces of a in to the police, and investigati
ather and made him watch as the . The complainant had accused t o pay Rs 400,000 as compensatio killings
commission
rights honour
of
human cases
INTERNATIONAL HUMAN RIGHTS DAY 2008 ‐ PAKISTAN asian illicit lover of the girl, and t In August 2008, eight women, three of them minors, were buried In October 2008 in Sindh province, under the orders of a Jirga has done little to bring the perpetrators to justice. Balochistan, reportedly by the same men. In the first case the allegedly on their way to another town with two aunts, for thei girls were reported to have been non‐fatally shot and protesting, were buried alive with them. Days later, three loca buried, a protested against the incident met the same fate. Those respons to the provincial government and have gone through an array of delays and setbacks. It’s a good badly murder cases are dealt with in Pakistan’s feudal areas, e involve women. knowledge and apparent acquiesce man (aged 10, 12 and 13) were handed over as compensation to a openly killed his last two wives having an affair with his last wife. by a pack of dogs and then shot. In May a jirga was arranged in was posthumously declared murderers were ‘Kari’ vindicated and (involved a in an illicit relati Selected In March 2008 a 17‐year old girl in Sindh province was pressure convince her parents to hand over acres of farm land. On her refusal, the uncle and his accomplices brought in her f
PAKISTAN 16
AHRC‐SPR‐014‐2008
: To conquer these practices – age‐old, men are ions, and a part of jirga rom holding public office, and those swifter route y, to Minister of ood, since they are not implemented. f evidence and a dition. Both have values, and these ss to say, the most ncy awarded as a result of blood money flaws in Pakistan’s rational system. and show no pain, look deep into its own system and make d for murder; a country should have only the true culprits are ose that commit the play. In certain cases judgments has grown ted. o reconcile justice with
tends to conjure up wholesome, re the decision makers. Needle ors will gather and they tend to pick a side, after e not conditions of a humane or lled through jirgas must be trie s expansion into life and death of Pakistan needs to be respec commission
rights
human
INTERNATIONAL HUMAN RIGHTS DAY 2008 ‐ PAKISTAN asian Jirga
from there. popular verdict may not always be a just one; it is difficult t the will of an over‐excited mob. Superstition also comes into defendants have been told to walk on hot coals and if they feel then they are innocent. These ar The power of the jirga has increased over the years because of legitimate legal system. Judgments can take years, even generat Pakistanis with small civil through local Jirgas. The Jirga’ complaints often prefer to take the which they will heckle and pressu The Both jirgas and honour killings are illegal in Pakistan, and th In a tribal court, witnesses and hearsay are the primary form o killings are supposed to be punished with a life sentence, but rarely convicted. Many men serving in parliament now have been courts, which is a major reason so little has been done to combat the practice. One of the main obstacles is the defense of these practices under the umbrella of custom. When the case of the eight buried women came to light, at least two Pakistani senators defended the act as an example of Baloch tra since been promoted in the new government, one very disturbingl Education. The word culturally‐rich practices under ‘tradition’ threat from secular or western terms should not apply to arbitrary, extra‐judicial killing. verdict often rests automatically on considered the sexually corrupt and their testimonies carry little reputation weight. During a session spectat or power of a witness. Wo which go against the nation’s constitution – Pakistan needs strong, to confident changes. ing Creat new laws will Instead there must be a bigger crackdown on illegal jirgas and those conducting them must be punished not do much g and brought before the law, without exception and with no lenie transactions. Those who have ki already in office must be ejected. Political will is required for curbing this practice. A clear signal should be sent that the constitutional law
Furthermore, those who have conducted jirgas should be banned f one law for murder, without distinctions or impunity. POLITICAL WILL IS REQUIRED
PAKISTAN 17 his includes the right AHRC‐SPR‐014‐2008
ess it. On the contrary, the state s claim that more than 23 persons tortured and kept incommunicado for bring the laws relating to Zina and Qazf ut an end to honour killings through the body needs to be established, funded and nce agencies on the roadside with torture government. particularly in tribal northern areas which quarter of this year after they had been is the least it can do. To combat extra‐ lligence services continues in spite of the practices have continued under the newly f the government. In the past nine months e measures to protect rights and provide up the issue. In the nine months since the s to their domain. The Asian Human Rights gal detention and torture centres are being tra‐judicial violence must see that it will no r that it begins with the development of a ; to remove abuses of the Hadood laws that ognized and acted on. T f the government is genuinely serious about strong educational network must be created red by the attack on New York’s World Trade
rnizing its legal system, this ic Review Pakistan pledged to p t understand that there is a process by which they can seek justice. To en, genuine commitment from the sponsibility to educate, and a military an excuse to exercise a free hand when it comes to opponents of the ice arrived and arrested them on several criminal charges. s of murder victims must be rec ttack domestic violence. commission
5‐DISAPPEARANCES AND ARBITRARY ARREST rights
human re INTERNATIONAL HUMAN RIGHTS DAY 2008 ‐ PAKISTAN asian juries. Moments later, the pol trong, unified judiciary and op Finally, it is a government’s re given free ign. that can work against what has become an entrenched practice – remain isolated, ideologically, from the rest of the country. I tackling honour killings and mode to an investigation and trial. Under Article 2 of Rights), which Pakistan has signed, the state is obliged to tak the ICCPR (International Covenant on Civil and Political remedy for victims of rights violations. Those who carry out ex longer be tolerated. Victims mus make sure that these steps are taken an independent monitoring
faithful and effective application of the 2004 Criminal Law Act violate women’s rights (noting that the 2006 Prevention of Anti‐Women practices (Criminal Law) Act was designed to end these practices, and the 2006 Amendments, which in line with the objectives of the Constitution and the injunctions of Islam) and to take legal and administrative measures to a The legal rights of the relative s judicial crime in Pakistan will be no mean feat, but it is clea
Fighting terror with terror: The global 'War on Terror', trigge In one example, Dr Safdar Sarki, the nationalist leader of Sindh province and Mr Muneer Mengal, managing editor of a television channel, were released during the first newly elected government's claims that they will swiftly clean PPP came to power again no serious intelligence agencies are operating freely with the knowledge o moves have been made to addr about 52 persons have gone missing after their arrests, mostly in the southern province of Balochistan where military operations continue. belonging to various religious groups, mostly young students are still missing after their arrest. Some religious organisation Center, has given the Pakistani government and religious activists, who are commonly several months in order to obtain confessional statements. Such arrested, elected government, as the Pakistan army is refusing them acces Commission has issued a report mentioning that at least 52 ille run by the Pakistan army. missing for more than a year. They were dumped by the intellige The forced ‘disappearance’ of political opponents by state inte During the 2008 Universal Period
in PAKISTAN 18 ).
UA‐413‐2006 ,
AHRC‐SPR‐014‐2008 Pakistan
in
UP‐001‐2007 , stern Frontier province, where the torture rgent appeal regarding the
ily. Nothing more has been me of them were released after the ed it. After coverage both in hat “Dr. Afia Siddiqui is alive, itrary arrests and disappearances, and more pressure an FBI official Punjab province most of those arrested, and The nationalist forces of Sindh province ee young children for five years
ng on the information received, , or her US lawyer. After serious removed largely over this issue, meaning ing that about 4,000 persons have been about 5,000 persons remain disappeared sm emerged. In the southern province of olice and were handed over to intelligence outhern and north western areas. he news that she was alive and in d torture to obtain confessional statements ns against militants, the media and political UA‐171‐2006 detention
illegal
he American Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) initially stani Intelligence Agency. Acti y were pressured to announced t ligious groups working in its s han 1,000 persons are missing. and political parties are claim brother in Houston to deliver t http://www.ahrchk.net/ua/mainfile.php/2008/2947/ disappearances,
ease see AHRC urgent appeals, commission
for
rights
human responsible
is
INTERNATIONAL HUMAN RIGHTS DAY 2008 ‐ PAKISTAN asian FBI
disappearance of a lady doctor. T admitted that they had arrested Dr Siddiqui and Pakistan and internationally the then later deni On 24 July, 2008, the Asian Human Rights Commission issued an u The the AHRC in its appeal suspected that the doctor was being kept in Bagram jail, Afghanistan, along with her children, and had been severely visited the house of Dr. Afia’s tortured. After she is in Afghanistan, but she is injured”. Details were slow coming, and those that were given often defied logic. Dr Siddiqui had been missing along with thr after being arrested by the Paki custody, though little other information was offered her family delays and extreme operational opacity, Dr Siddiqi was transferred to the U.S, where she remains in custody, and one of her sons was released to his fam heard of the other two children. The operation involved the complicity of the FBI, Pakistan state agencies and the Afghan government, and covers numbers human rights abuses, including torture and illegal detention. round 100 persons, were from re
The government has never made a serious attempt to stop the arb has often hampered the judiciary in its efforts to clear the backlog of such human rights abuse cases. The state of emergency was called and the former chief justice was that more than 350 cases of missing persons were filed in the Supreme Court of Pakistan and have never been addressed. Those who have testified after being held incommunicado for months, and then released, have told the courts and the media that they were arrested by p agencies, who kept them in military interrogation cells and use
Several nationalists and religious groups have calculated that after arrests since 2001, when the united front Balochistan, against terrori nationalist groups about anti‐state activities. (Pl
missing since military operations began there seven years ago, and that the Pakistan army has killed several hundred persons in aerial bombardments. In the North We Pakistani military and foreign forces are carrying out operatio parties are claiming that more t claim that about 100 persons have been disappeared, but that so intervention of the Supreme Court and the Sindh High Court. In a PAKISTAN
19
intelligence
08). Of these, one and
AHRC‐SPR‐014‐2008 police
of
The minister in charge has not ntry faces. For the newly‐formed 00 persons have been arrested in Daily Dawn 05.05.20 th just one member from the national . During 2006 and 2007 the now‐ majority of members of the committee custody anisations in the province claim that ns are still missing from Balochistan nce agencies; most were dumped on
up the cases of missing persons, and no control over the law enforcement ments on missing persons in May 2006 government and the committee does not ng bells for the future of human rights in robe in the affairs of state intelligence missing persons, and the second was to be erior affairs has said, in his recent visit Reconciliatory Committee on Balochistan, y of law enforcement agencies, and has in h are according to him, are missing. He s committee on Balochistan had arranged a But later on it was clarified by the ruling nstituted for missing persons only. The day
persons
disappeared
all ahrchk.net/statements/mainfile.php/2008statements/1503/), a news ationalist and human rights org the People Lawyers' Forum, wi e most important issues the cou omplaints by family members of release
commission
Iftekhar Choudry started forcibly taking l or legal coverage. should rights
human
INTERNATIONAL HUMAN RIGHTS DAY 2008 ‐ PAKISTAN asian Government
to the Balochistan province on August 27, 2008, that 1102 perso and that the government will try to locate them. His acceptance of the statistics that more than 1,000 persons are missing is itself an indication that government has authorities and furthermore, has no intention to initiate any p agencies particularly the ISI. The former Musharraf, told the national assembly in December 2005 that 4,0 interior minister in the cabinet Balochistan province. However, n of ex‐president Pervez not more than 100 persons have been produced given any indication of the fate of at least 1,102 persons whic before any court. was shy to point out that the missing persons are in the custod given little indication that he will deposed Chief Justice work toward their recovery about 110 persons were released from the captivity of intellige streets in remote areas. The advisor to the prime minister and minister in charge of int services AHRC‐STM‐229‐2008 September 1, 2008 The has been formed to investigate c The government has shifted from a position of creating shifting the committee the for missing responsibility persons for to suddenly this distancing committee to itself the from political party. By doing this the government is one of th assembly. government to now start back‐peddling on this issue rings warni the country. There were no terms of reference described by the have any constitutiona
Senator Baber Awan, secretary of the Pakistan People's Party's has announced the formation of two committees on the province ( for the internal displacement of people during military action. party, Pakistan People's Party (PPP), that the committee was co after the AHRC issued criticism of the (please government's refer false state to URL: http://www. item appeared in the Daily Jang newspaper, noting that the PPP' six‐member subcommittee on the recovery of missing persons. The are from the PPP's lawyers' wing,
PAKISTAN 20 before
AHRC‐SPR‐014‐2008
entrenched
14/
02/ 81/ later testified that they were this
of
information on the ecovery of missing persons is. and their whereabouts dren five years after her financial resources necessary for the facility and denied access le of Pakistan by forming a high powered depth mittee is meaningless and will only serve
l should cover the whole country.
the
ence of the committee, such as: r and
reach
the
l status of the committee for r shows
its party affiliations. ce, authority and material and best he jurisdiction of the tribuna
ent of commission
Siddiqui
rights
the sou moto actions of Chief Justice Iftekhar Choudry Aafia
this committee has the authority to ask suspect military or police officers to report Dr.
human of kept in army torture camps and they themselves saw several persons in the camps). through the committee.
also been little clarification about the terms of refe Whether it is independ INTERNATIONAL HUMAN RIGHTS DAY 2008 ‐ PAKISTAN asian Whether What the jurisdictions of the committee are. Whether it can visit the places where missing people were generally kept (some of those released What the legal and constitutiona
http://www.ahrchk.net/statements/mainfile.php/2008statements/17 http://www.ahrchk.net/ua/mainfile.php/2008/2947/ http://www.ahrchk.net/statements/mainfile.php/2008statements/17 http://www.ahrchk.net/statements/mainfile.php/2008statements/16 case
ORLD/PAKISTAN: Pakistani and US State authorities must release • • • • • AKISTAN/USA: A lady doctor remains missing with her three chil AKISTAN: Children of Dr. Afia Siddiqui are removed from Bagram P arrest URL: P are unknown and Dr. Afia is denied permission to attend court proceedings URL:
URL: The problem USA/PAKISTAN: Dr. Aafia Siddiqui is removed to a psychological to her family, lawyers and her government W two children of Dr. Aafia who remain missing URL: ecovery of disappeared people. T
There’s
Without the proper terms of reference, the formation of the com as ‘eye wash’, rather than a purposeful exercise for missing persons and their families. It is vital for the newly elected government to maintain the confidence of the peop tribunal with all the independen
r PAKISTAN 21
s efforts made by ely considered the : Rather than being cases of torture. To
al tool. AHRC‐SPR‐014‐2008 action
no
l has shown the mber of times, but take )
gencies like the police and also the n was severely injured, ratified the International Covenant of criminal law jurisprudence has been n in such cases. An extreme lack of ve been involved. In its o the abdomen. Women are likely to be he International Covenant on Civil and ri Gang War’, the channel extent to which torture has Pakistan to investigate there has been no seriou the country. ure, and the government has actices causes the country and its ability to tion: Article 14 (2) states that, "No person ble: the police. They must then contend with dence". or to show efficiency in an investigation. authorities
the
–
custody
in
Urdu language television channe
=4CLCJFzCPHY&feature=related nfessional statements. As yet, g with cigarettes and punches t crime in the domestic laws of judiciary. The damage such pr torture
policemen widely represent the abuse of power and inspire fear. The most kistan signed the Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or o carried out to extort bribes 6‐POLICE AND CUSTODIAL TORTURE commission
shows
rights
channel
human
INTERNATIONAL HUMAN RIGHTS DAY 2008 ‐ PAKISTAN asian l Te evision
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v A Geo TV, a prominent custodial and torture popular of a famous authorities have not taken any action against those shown to ha bandit in its weekly series ‘FIR’ it showed a two or three part program titled, ‘Lya program a nu telecasted recorded footage of suspect, Rehman ropes and shackles,and beaten with wooden and iron bars. The ma Dacate being hung upside down with and finally agreed to accusations involving the killing of and extortion. The program offered little challenge to the tort numerous people, bomb blasts not responded to the case. This example neatly exemplifies the become accepted, socially and politically in Pakistan, as a leg ( ffectively stunted. shall be subjected to torture for the purpose of extracting evi Currently there are no independent investigation procedures in report cases, victims need to go through the authority responsi the lower judiciary, which is sensitivity known is to commonly side shown with by the prosecutors, judiciary, particularly the lower law prosecutio enforcement a This is despite the fact that Pa symbols of security and justice, common methods of police torture suspension by the ankles, burnin in interrogation situations include beating with batons or whips, Degrading Treatment or Punishment (CAT) on April 17, 2008, and Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (ICESCR). Political It Rights (ICCPR). also Torture signed is prohibited t in the constitu raped in custody. Torture is als
THE POLICE – A SYMBOL OF FEAR
e maintain the rule of law, goes understated. The development of Torture in custody in Pakistan is a continuous, common place phenomenon. It is still wid best means by which to obtain co the government to make torture a PAKISTAN
l e. a i c 22 i d u
/ 38 fficials involved. around their necks. No n has been instigated. e minister's actions by ctivists were holding a AHRC‐SPR‐014‐2008 sharraf’s government, is d the assault, arrest and the release of one of the Tunio came in drunk to the e girl before the first class He was severely tortured in identity card while he was ested by the Market police, onstration against the tenth litical rival Dr. Arbab Rahim, R) No. 17/2007 against the re during illegal detention for
ten the victim with ropes and n for the murder of her fiancé.
The police allegedly registered a ls, raped and kept for almost 16
nd bears by police officers while in an abusive provincial minister and il of a notorious drug dealer, for the j r o l detainments. No investigatio
utally torture Mr. Hazoor Buksh, at the height of which, he
commission
f e t http://www.ahrchk.net/statements/mainfile.php/2008statements/14 2008
http://www.ahrchk.net/ua/mainfile.php/2008/2932/ a rights
r in t
http://www.ahrchk.net/ua/mainfile.php/2006/2533/ http://www.ahrchk.net/ua/mainfile.php/2007/2444/ http://www.ahrchk.net/ua/mainfile.php/2008/2777/ http://www.ahrchk.net/ua/mainfile.php/2008/2883/ s i g a custody. The victims were beaten and had ropes and chains tied investigation URL: was made into the matter. days in a private lock up near a police station, under suspicio Her elder sister was also brought in and held, naked for three days, to pressure the sister to confess to the charges. The SI involved thereafter produced th m remand. false attempted suicide case and a First Information Report (FI victim under sections 34, 337 and 334 of the Pakistan Penal Cod URL: allegedly severed the victim's penis with a sharp‐edged knife. Larkana district, Sindh province for not shopping. Late in the night of 25 January, the SHO Mr. Mohummad possessing a national police station and ordered three on‐duty police officers to fas chains. The SHO then began to br father of five children, in illegal detention in the private ja return of some money to which the victim was witness/guarantor. three different police lock ups for the return of the money. URL: has been beaten or tortured in some way numerous times. His po the former chief minister of Sindh province in the president Mu alleged to be behind his continua his armed men in Punjab province. The detention of six student activists and teachers, two of whom were women, on 2 February, minister allegedly ordere 2008, in Lahore City. The city mayor also allegedly defended th threatening the police ready demonstration to and distributing file leaflets charges to leaders of the lawyers’ movement when they were attacked. supposedly against celebrate him. The a anniversary of nuclear experiment. He went through severe tortu six days. The URL: government has not taken any action against the o human torture
Eight persons were forced to strip naked and behave like dogs a A high ranking police official used police officers of four different districts to keep a labourer, the In March 2008 a 17 year‐old girl was abducted by police officia Mr Mohammad Khan Lund, a human rights activist is presently in Deeplo Jail fr the 43rd time, and Police refused to register a complaint and file charges against On 22 January, 2007, 24 year‐old Mr. Hazoor Buksh Malik was arr Mr Abdul Wahab Baloch was arrested on May 28, 2008, after a dem of INTERNATIONAL HUMAN RIGHTS DAY 2008 ‐ PAKISTAN asian • • • • • • • Cases
PAKISTAN
ed 23 cel
d lawyers were beaten AHRC‐SPR‐014‐2008 woman
n that certain provinces ex
y tortured by the police upon French d were beaten and mishandled. A
s Noor Naz Agha and Ms Jameela nal bleeding to his lungs, marks on on. Several lawyers, including the form the police and make it ‘people ded with unknown medicine during ases of police torture in the last nine ar was detained illegally and ven after the intervention of n, denied sleep and denied medicine rmer president of the Supreme Court ptember 2007, before several ut down and he suffered chronic renal e government’s lack of will or ically and psychologically during their association, was arrested on November awabshah, Sindh Province) after he was n. The provincial government had a reason from the investigating agency for them in judicial custody. of police abuse records. Statistics collect e of developing a free and fair rule of law. proper implementation of police ordinance n 2007 and 2008. fails to make use of the little space available no prohibition against it the domestic law of
ng done. Journalists an detained
nderdevelopment is most visible. One example a
of
: Case reports have show
torture
the
movement http://www.ahrchk.net/ua/mainfile.php/2007/2664/ stop
orture by the police in detenti to
Pakistan offers insight into th the struggle of the judiciary i lawyers’ agencies, rather than keeping
associations were tortured phys cedures are rarely followed, making cases difficult to monitor or legislate. ice system a country has no hop w, in which a judge can demand the
unable
commission
were
during
rights
torture human
of
authorities
NFUL STATISTICS
INTERNATIONAL HUMAN RIGHTS DAY 2008 ‐ PAKISTAN asian http://www.ahrchk.net/ua/mainfile.php/2007/2631/ use
office bearers of different bar detentions under emergency rule, including Mr Munir A Malik, fo Bar Association, who was arrested on November 3, 2007 and provi his detainment, which served to poison him. Both his kidneys sh failure. Mr Imdad Awan, president of the Sukkur high court bar 4 after having a protest meeting with the lawyers and was beate for his diabetes and high blood pressure. Two Manzoor, were also arrested on November 3 and 5 respectively an female lawyers, M prominent human rights lawyer, Mr Syed Hassan Tariq was brutall instructions (allegedly from the provincial chief minister in N arrested on 8 November 2007. He emerged from custody with inter his back and two ribs fractured. URL: power in torture cases. Ms Florence Nightingale, a French schol tortured in the police lock up persons. of The Thatta authorities district, failed Sindh, to on prevent Se French Consulate of Karachi. The police simply refused to liste torture in custody e not taken any action against the police since. Please see URL: Law makers are not spared from t The French One case of a French visitor to Put simply, the practice of torture continues because there is Pakistan. Police records and pro Civil and political parties are not pushing hard enough for the and the government has taken few friendly’. Without an honest pol steps, despite promising to re handing over the accused to such and abused with impunity during It is in the day‐to‐day work of the lower judiciary that this u is the practice of the lower court judges of allowing detainees to be remanded in custody with ease, despite clear indication that torture has been used. This practice even to it in the current criminal la
PAI in this matter, the Punjab and Sindh provinces being at the top from the group Lawyers for Human Rights report 9,364 reported c years, the most in any one year (1,723 cases) occurring in 2007. Between January and June in 2008, 743 cases have already been reported, suggesting that little is bei PAKISTAN
24 UG‐013‐ , . AHRC‐SPR‐014‐2008 : The AHRC has issued UA‐227‐2006 ,
esulting in sex slavery or and UP‐191‐2006
valued than male children, and rces, to be again transferred to were female. A high proportion of UG‐003‐2006 talled 418 in the first half of 2008, e Sindh Liberation Army (SLA). The f the gang rape of minors during this ough severe torture and being held d that 81% of cases that reached the s after their arrest without charge. The with the Balochistan Liberation Army rking to disassociate themselves from ntre. surgeons report few such requests, and initially held in the custody of the army es should be reported and investigated as country, compiled with information from n observation rather than an autopsy. For UA‐132‐2006 ch states: ‘whoever, by secretly burying or poverty and the risk of abduction. Pakistan , he Federal Intelligence Agency (FIA), the o of vulnerable minors, there is little done for
UA‐169‐2006 , ce. : Female children are still less 7‐CHILDREN’S RIGHTS:
r Constabulary (FC) are the main agencies responsible. Many of the UA‐171‐2006 papers; 339 of those kidnapped h West Frontier Province were , r Service Intelligence (ISI), t ren in Pakistan today come from ered with the poli commission
rights UP‐127‐2006
, of the mafia.
Cases of abuse and abduction remain high, particularly those r ies such as orphanages are poorly regulated and under funded. Street children often come l ons in the constitution that call for the care : human
INTERNATIONAL HUMAN RIGHTS DAY 2008 ‐ PAKISTAN
asian UA‐145‐2006 ,
state,and provisi them. Care facilit under the contro
conversion through forced marriage. Reported according to Sahil, a domestic NGO for the protection of children from sexual exploitation, which gathered abduction cases to statistics from 15 Pakistan news newspapers had been regist abducted children are raped and there were 177 cases period. Figures were highest for sexual abuse in Punjab province, followed by Sindh. The same report noted reported o that in about 6% of the cases female abettors were involved, an a report on 52 identified torture and detention centres former detainees, some of whom were imprisoned for several year in the centres are army‐run, and are allegedly for suspects of terrorist activities. Amy officials are interrogating persons from Balochistan to force confessions about involvement (BLA) and from Sindh, for confessions military rulers are keen to prove that the organisations are wo about involvement with th Pakistan. Arrestees from the Nort before being transferred to Afghanistan. There, after going thr incommunicado, many of them were handed over to the occupied fo Guantanamo Bay, the notorious American holding/interrogati n ce Military Intelligence (MI), Inte Pakistan Rangers and the Frontie missing persons have testified in courts and to the media that they were kept in the custody by the army and that they were tortured as in the following AHRC reported cases:
A BIAS FOR BOYS country’s posture as an Islamic welfare has a very high population of street children, and despite the ABUSE The biggest threats facing child
2006 ESTABLISHED TORTURE CENTRES many are abandoned and left to die. Under Pakistan law such cas murders, with post mortems conducted, but hospitals and police the law allows doctors some room to issue a certificate based o infants found alive, a PPC can be lodged under Section 329, whi PAKISTAN is 25 juvenile prisoners to be AHRC‐SPR‐014‐2008
and two in Punjab (Multan and ch child, shall be punished with emain free from any kind of official al children’s organisation referred to in political violence in Karachi in May ld dies before or after or during birth, et colleges (which tend to offer a high ison, there are few facilities for juvenile to be a child. Pakistan has ratified the UN ious radicalism and violence and are used al belt have been suspected of recruiting , but in many places this is not the case. ears and Mach Central Jail has admitted to n the army. Voluntary recruitment age for to two years, or with fine, or with both’. that these children can choose whether to nd expressed concern that they are being a child is under 14 years old. Children, like s at 18, and it issues national identity cards the law this should only be able to apply to groups in Balochistan province and schools l 18 years‐old. The international Coalition to system, but tend to focus on little other than mber of children were linked to suicide attacks, : Despite a ruling obliging
d underpay. : The recruitment of minors in preparation for military action an
d 15 ous unregistered schools that r dly continued to promote relig n as young as 15 were involved on for a term which may extend o the struggling public school efenders on its death row. commission een 11 an years old.
rights
assault, to overwork by the state. human
INTERNATIONAL HUMAN RIGHTS DAY 2008 ‐ PAKISTAN asian
Pakistan remains one of five remaining countries in the world known to have executed juvenile offenders – people who committed a crime while under 18 – in the past few y kept separately from adults due to the high rate of abuse in pr offenders. There are two Faisalbad). Minors in should at Sindh least be province kept in separate (Karachi, Some children are incarcerated with a guilty parent, but under barracks Hyderabad) children under the age of six. having at least two juvenile d
CHILDREN IN PRISON There remains confusion about the age at which a person ceases Convention on the Rights of the Child, in which adulthood begin at this age. However the Employment of Children Act states that women, tend to work mostly in the informal sector, which leaves them vulnerable to abuses ranging from sexual and physical CHILD SOLDIERS intentionally conceals or imprisonment of either descripti endeavours to conceal the birth of su otherwise disposing of the dead body of a child whether the chi still of concern, with madrasses coming under more scrutiny tha the army is 17, but a person can’t engage in active combat unti Stop the Use of Child Soldiers reported this year that some cad standard of education) can admit children as young as ten, but join the army after their unconfirmed schooling. reports that However childre last year a nation regulation. Some madrasas reporte for military training, and in the second half of last year a nu one of which, in the NWF province, was successful. Nationalist run by pro‐Taleban insurgents along the edge of Pakistan’s trib 2007, as well as at the Lal Masjid in Islamabad in July 2007, atrained for conflict Madrasses offer an alternative t and training children betw Islamic studies. There are numer PAKISTAN 26
02/ ildren. killing
Pakistani
AHRC‐SPR‐014‐2008
of
honour
of
: In some rural areas the practice n may have been used in blings, and is thought by UN member states, and it courts has become common place. The Chief Justice Choudhry in 2004 for his detainment m and have respected the nd no contact or guarantee orious Bagram prison. The n Afghan prisons. The AHRC Balochistan province, along with two of pretext
he deceased wives – to hand ew minister of education in Pakistan, Mir wives for allegedly having an ampaign Ahmad was handed 20 buffaloes as compensation antanamo Bay), and that they accounted for. the act as Baloch tradition was just promoted by
illegal on
the wife
in
his
killed collude
who
ccountability expected of these gedly fraternised with one of t ree minors were buried alive in man labour and sexually abused by their new owners, until old enough to be
a
authorities to http://www.ahrchk.net/ua/mainfile.php/2008/3042/
commission
over State
rights
http://www.ahrchk.net/statements/mainfile.php/2008statements/17 US
handed
human and
girls
INTERNATIONAL HUMAN RIGHTS DAY 2008 ‐ PAKISTAN asian
illicit relationship with another received impunity on the pretext of an honour killing. The jirga ordered the man – had alle over three young girls, his daughter and nieces, together with to the husband. Police arrested the killer but decision of the jirga. URL: soon released hi In a jirga held on October 20, 2008 a man who killed two of his Three child had been missing for five years along with NGOs to have been handed over by Pakistan into US/Afghan custody as part of a terrorism two younger si pact in 2003. While the child flitted custody, no explanation was given for his six month detention a in and out of contact with the of his health was given to his family. After an international c outside world in US over to his aunt in Karachi. His siblings remain missing and un In its statement In July 2008 a missing twelve year‐old boy, Mohammed Ahmad resurfaced with his mother, a US‐listed Al Qaeda suspect, in detention in Afghanistan’s not Pakistani children The Asian Human Rights Commission is concerned that the childre the interrogation of their parents (the father being held in Gu may be at risk because of what they have seen and experienced i demanded the transparency and a demanded the immediate release of the two remaining Siddiqui ch
BARTERING WITH CHILDREN of awarding children as blood money compensation through tribal children will often be used for married or sold on, whether into marriage or sex slavery. The n Hazar Khan Bijarani, was himself ordered under arrest by former role in a tribal court that tried to use a number of children as compensation in an honour killing dispute. As noted (under Honour Killings) th their aunts in July 2008. A minister that publicly defended the the Zardari government. PAKISTAN 27 ack in ers have been beaten, AHRC‐SPR‐014‐2008 y. POSITIONS
awareness of Pakistan’s citizens itions. Abdul Hameed Dogar, who was is little hope that Chief Justice Iftekhar yers have lost their livelihoods and the ppointed’ under new oaths – a procedure han follow through with a constitutional re it was tampered with by Musharraf. In se campaigning continue to be persecuted, It is a struggle unprecedented in the history f justice. At one point the government of Mr. to 2009, however Choudhry should remain in tutional amendments made during the state of first place. A number of judges have refused to tion in August. f justice, Iftekhar Choudhr
ernment. The ruling party displays no political will to restore the ding the former chie f, is still working as the chie : Meanwhile the judges who bent to the will of the government b process, it has embarked down a road of intimidation and coercion, with aggression, as those fighting begin to realise that rule of law is still being as reinvigorated people power. itnessed and rallied behind the protests, in which lawy ion (of November 2, 2007), befo to the constitution. The consti e the change in governance. Tho commission
8‐ THE MOVEMENT FOR JUDICIAL INDEPENDENCE rights
he near future. human
NAL HUMAN RIGHTS DAY 2008 ‐ PAKISTAN INTERNATIO asian
UNCONSTITUTIONAL package and a legal restoration the aim of dividing the movement. Willing judges have been ‘rea little different to that initiated by General Musharraf in the comply and remain deposed, inclu MAINTAINED Pakistan’s judiciary was deposed on November 3, 2007, by the then‐chief of army staff through the imposition of a state of emergency. Since coming to power the new civil and elected government has gone back on its written and verbal promises to restore it. Rather t
November and were awarded senior positions, remain in those pos put in place by General Musharra Yousaf Gillani considered reducing his tenure as chief justice that seat until 2013, according emergency remain part of the judiciary to its original format gov protest on this issue, the party of Nawaz Sharif left the coali The 19‐month struggle of the lawyers has done much to raise the regarding the rule of law, and h of the country. Citizens have w fired upon, arrested and barred from their profession. Many law campaign is now escalating into used as a political tool, despit and the present government’s current agenda suggests that there will be restored in t PAKISTAN 28
) The AHRC‐SPR‐014‐2008 70/
ent of General to thwart their lose to the bar ion, plus another 10 lawyers, in group’s leader Altaf st owned by lawyers. by Muttahida Quami eapons that exploded rt of the new coalition , killing, burning and the media, with most their female clients. 19 bad shape. More than 70 The lawyers reported to : The arrest and persecution of activist e rule of law in the country even further, itation and disturbing the peace. street protests on April 9, lir Bar Association, 20 km lists were severely beaten, e violence against lawyers, followed through. an Bar Council (PBC), under pressure from he first anniversary of Musharraf’s state of
t dead. The media and sources c
ic party. Brutal attacks during ciation. The offices of the Ma rovince, which is mainly ruled were arrested on charges of ag ere burnt to ashes. Five journa efore reappearing abused and in continued. Recently the Pakist
n commission
bur ed
rights
and
human beaten
http://www.ahrchk.net/statements/mainfile.php/2008statements/14
INTERNATIONAL HUMAN RIGHTS DAY 2008 ‐ PAKISTAN asian
2008, in Karachi claimed the lives of 14 persons including a child. Six persons were burned alive, of which at least two were lawyers and two others lawyers went missing for days, b offices were ransacked and burned, including the office, house and vehicle of the general secretary of the Karachi Bar Asso Prior to this in May 12, 2007 more than 40 persons were killed. away from Karachi city courts, w one a female journalist working for a local television channel, whose arm was fractured in the incident. More than 50 vehicles were burned and smashed, mo Two private bus drivers associations alleged that these attacks on the lawyers, looting were sho abductions were carried out by the members of the MQM. the media that the attackers were in possession of incendiary w when thrown at a target. The killings were covered in detail by accusations leveled at members of MQM. Just Hussain had verbally abused Pakistan’s lawmakers and urged MQM one day before, the support (URL: of Chief Justice Iftekhar Choudhry. new government has fostered a relationship with the MQM, now pa and with seeming impunity. The government at federal and Sindh provincial levels have promised to investigate the attack several times, and have not Lawyers The lawyers’ movement has long been under threat by the governm Musharraf, whose coalition partners have been able to freely us particularly in Karachi, Sindh Movement (MQM), a political ethn p The dodging tactics of the new government threaten to damage th le of the country. discrediting the supremacy of the judiciary and the civilian ru emergency, more than 100 lawyers lawyers and their leadership has its chairman, the attorney‐general for Pakistan, suspended the practicing licenses of the presidents of the Peshawar High Court Bar retaliation to their activism. A Association and fter a countrywide protest on t the Multan Bar Associat
PERSECUTIONS CONTINUE
PAKISTAN 29 : There is
AHRC‐SPR‐014‐2008 owing link.
: Powerful religious and ethnic =148&Itemid=4 forces), Mohammad omitted from the coverage. Those groups. This is in part because of covering protests were arrested and group attacked lawyers and burned a According to the report lmost all of the national newspapers. Pakistan, including Qari nance, through which several electronic , by unidentified gunmen, the government a variety of chances to their coverage of the lawyers’ movement. ists were killed during the of trade union activity, or from those who d a wish to secure the ideological boundaries ernment, there were greater restrictions like religious groups attacked by majority groups. o avoid coverage of certain topics, and submit to
2008
Musharraf. Please see the foll TO
activated for events that might be seen as against the Pakistani 9‐FREEDOM OF THE PRESS or the security forces, particularly about the military operations in 1999
and commercial interests. commission
FROM
rights
lication of news. KILLED
human http://pfuj.info/site/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id
INTERNATIONAL HUMAN RIGHTS DAY 2008 ‐ PAKISTAN asian
URL: Shoaib Mohammad on November 8 (killed by ‘mistake’ say security Ibrahim on May 21 after a high profile interview of Maulvi Umar and Khadim Hussain Sheikh on April 14, by unidentified gunmen. issued by the Pakistan Federal Union of Journalists, 33 journal nine‐year rule of General Pervez 0 During the year 2008 at least eight journalists were killed in JOURNALISTS ttacked and cowed include GEO TV, ARY ONE, AAJ TV, FM103 and a
groups can currently attack media houses, bully their staff and dictate their coverage unhindered due to political ties. Since journalists feel at risk they will tend t orders from these groups. For example when one powerful ethnic number alive on two occasions, the name of the ethnic group was
a
SELF‐CENSORSHIP BY MEDIA HOUSES THE LYNCHING OF THE MEDIA Pakistan claims that it has a free press. Before the latest gov the PEMRA (Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority) Ordi channels were attacked and shut down by the authorities due to Many newspapers were prevented from publishing, and journalists man‐handled by the police. The authority over the press, and the situation has greatly improved. However the government has yet to new government has withdrawn the PEMRA Ordinance and thus its abolish the press and publication ordinance, 1963, which allows intervene in the pub
still self‐censorship from the media. Little news is broadcast regularly speak against the army Balochistan and the suppression intimidation, but is also due to a narrow patriotic mindset, an of separatists and of the country; for example, editors tend not to cover cases of nationalist Self‐censorship is most commonly nationalism, Islamic ideology PAKISTAN V ic aj or 30
se see URL: AHRC‐SPR‐014‐2008
rom related advertisers. F 51/
e overseas. of Pakistani website all private Pakistani T n continued military operations in els‐banned‐Taliban‐statements) The l Continental since 2002 against the he Supreme Court has several times rural areas are generally ignored by ss of military operations against the correspondent of inst us when these rivate Urdu channel; Karachi‐based A e country’s nuclear temptation for journalists to earn their d but nothing, as yet, has been done. r revenue f given to it in newspapers and electron asked a gathering of from 2005 (salaries and benefits). There rs that the news can be controlled by any to the workers of the ree years, and journalists are being denied ooking oil company, Ghafooria textile mills,
: Journalists are denied their constitutional and legal
rist escaped from the custody : According to the GroundReport underrate. This increases the ady sitting here?" He appealed
commission
set
rights
mind
human media nions rarely receive coverage due to the media’s need fo
INTERNATIONAL HUMAN RIGHTS DAY 2008 ‐ PAKISTAN asian http://www.ahrchk.net/statements/mainfile.php/2008statements/13 anti
ruling URL: party to stop such disgruntled elements. An In January 2008, during his rule as president, Pervez Musharraf 800 overseas Pakistanis in London to "put one, two or three punches" to Pakistani journalists, who he believed were destroying the country’s imag Musharraf had been annoyed by a senior Pakistani journalist and the Daily Dawn, Mr Zia Uddin, who questioned the security of th assets after a high profile terro intelligence. While lamenting the critical "What types of Pakistanis are here? What can the enemies do aga questions, President Musharraf asked, people (the journalists) are alre channels have voluntarily has stopped different airing Taliban comments o http://www.groundreport.com/Arts_and_Culture/Pakistani‐TV‐chann parts channels are instead focusing on the reports showing the progre northwest Taliban in the NWFP. Karachi‐based Geo News, the most popular p province bordering Afghanistan. (Plea are three wage awards still due to be announced for the past th wage rises and pressured to work
employment rights, such as the wage board award for journalists TRIBAL AREAS CHANNELS ON MILITARY OPERATIONS IN SELF‐CENSORSHIP BY PRIVATE TV BY MEDIA HOUSES example there has been campaigning from employees of Hotel retrenchment of about 350 employees, and little space has been Pear media. The same can be said for the trade unions of the Dalda c Hamdard, and other commercial enterprises; in this way it appea business with enough money to advertise. Peasantry movements in JOURNALISTS ARE DENIED THEIR RIGHTS Trade u
money by other means, such as bribes, and asked the owners of the media houses to implement the wage awar weakens the system. T
media houses to appease the powerful landlords. PAKISTAN 31 e 2000, AHRC‐SPR‐014‐2008
alling the militants Taliban and ter and parties in the government ailing the progress of the military he courts for trials. According to the intelligence and the Inter Services led that the abducted persons were dia presentation entitled ‘Situation in tern Frontier Province (NWFP), have or several months, and the research d in Balochistan province due to their ople have also disappeared after being ecent event on April 28, just four days civilian population, and the Pakistan Air lso been missing for a long time. e minister and other people from ruling sharraf. During this period the Pakistan wn News, the first and only English news gainst the offensive or the government's of the newly elected government in April residents in the area, as several districts in e of “war on terror”. ly mention where those arrested persons placed and have had to move to shelters in persons in a series of aerial bombings. only on troop activities in the program. eged that more than 3,000 persons have been vals throughout each day on the progress of the
other important
cies, particularly by military 10‐ MILITARY OPERATIONS number of years in the nam Balochistan and the North Wes : This has been subject to large scale military operations sinc them had been produced before t ting the Taliban’s statements a mbers in detainment, who have a ed with several . The private channels focused d its audience at regular inter commission
rights
human
INTERNATIONAL HUMAN RIGHTS DAY 2008 ‐ PAKISTAN asian
hannel are following suit. riticising them for the violence
c
Two provinces of Pakistan, namely been under military operations for a BALOCHISTAN
In August the private channels began airing lengthy reports det
c operations, but without broadcas claims. Geo News TV was observed to have made a special multime Tribal Areas’ in which it briefe News, the second largest private Urdu channel; Karachi‐based Da military operation. Anchors at Dawn News and Aaj TV were seen c testimonies of persons who returned after conducted having by been some missing human f rights organisations, detained in military camps in different cities. The former detainees have also testified that they have seen it has been revea many friends and their family me The current situation is very much the reverse of what the prim parties are announcing. The disappearances continue, and in a r Intelligence (ISI). The former federal Interior Minister stated before the National Assembly of Pakistan on December 5, 2005 that more than 4,000 persons have been arreste involvement in anti‐state activities. However, he did not were being held and why none of clear according to the strict policies of former president Army had used gunship helicopters and armoured cars against the General Mu Force used F‐16 jet planes to bombard them. After the formation an announcement was made to halt the apologised openly to the people of Balochistan. It has been all operation. The prime minis killed due to this operation in several cantonments here but there is serious resistance among the Balochistan province. The military the province have been bombed by the Pakistan Air Force. A former governor and a chief minister of the government wants to construct province, Sardar Akbar Bugti, di It is also reported that more than 200,000 people have been dis different districts due to the bombardments. More than 4,000 arrested pe by law enforcement agen PAKISTAN el ed he 32
nts from the court. early that morning,
e AHRC‐SPR‐014‐2008 during
lochistan, military personn
chistan Liberation Army, claimed d 18 persons were injured due to a pipelines which r. The army was reported
e in the city of Khuzdar, and arrest . On April 29, army officials raided t ren. The federal in charge, the minister ported on August 24 that the military e persons were kidnapped by the law Bugti and Jeo Bugti (the names of other ried out after the killing of two persons been handed over to their relatives. The ade no moves to l ave the province. se of one day the military again started he military operation would continue if in the centre of the market place at Dera Sui Filds. ons who are working tary personnel on charges of having links a confession from the houses without warra ed instantly while the itary officers and were eported on August 21, sive activities. l capital of Ba reas of Bareli, Tukhmarh, Jhabro, Sano gari, acked the whole city. The prime minister i Watan Party, a nationalist group, and since and when they fainted, they were taken to overnment, four people se heavy force in Dera Bugti, Bairoon Pat and 19, 23 persons on July 20 and 36 persons on abuses venty were injured on July 27 and 28. Villagers
other
while
tar
coal
aratist organisation, the Balo in the said areas. After a lap in Dera Bugti district by mil died in custody seven days late l, including 13 women and child ostels of Khuzdar Degree Colleg arred bodies were later found hot e people. The newspaper also re
orts, the military started to u n innocent persons were killed an f the country, and other subver lated newspaper of Pakistan, r strict president of the Jamhoor in
commission hat 30 persons were killed and se
alive Balochistan
in
rights
burned
human operation
he visit of the prime minister to Quetta, the provincia persons INTERNATIONAL HUMAN RIGHTS DAY 2008 ‐ PAKISTAN asian
military Four On April 5, just six days after the formation of the civilian g were arrested in the Zainkoh area taken to torture cells there. They were asked to name the pers with "Balochistan Liberation Army" (BLA). After failing to get victims, the officers put four people in hot coal tar. Three difourth person, Mr. Jaffer Khosa searching for persons involved in the blasts of the natural gas provide gas to different parts o that the army had deployed fresh contingents of troops in the a Andhari and Nisao cheera. Seve whole‐day of aerial bombardments bombardments which killed severa the border areas of Jafferabad district again, and searched During this operation, army offi the cers killed 12 persons on July July 24. It is also reported t claim that the military used chemical gas against the villagers unknown places where they were shot dead. Their bodies have not affected areas are known as Pat Feeder, Bhawan, Baroon Pat, Shameen, Gwar, Chouber, Sari Darbar, then his whereabouts are unknown. Attacks on civilians were car from military intelligence. responsibility for the A killings but sep in announced the withdrawal of the armed forces but the army has m retaliation the army att On May 2, when the prime minister was visiting Balochistan, fiv enforcement agencies and their ch Rustam Darbar, Baranjan, Khawar, Sand Curry, oacgh, Pir Koh and The Daily Jang, the largest circu of interior, visited the area on August 20 separatists and were announced protected that by t th
According to local newspaper rep
attacked and raided houses and h more than 200 persons. Among them ten persons are still missing house of comrade Ghaffar, the di Bugti city. These persons, namely, Nazar Mohammad Bugti, Rustam two were not available), were arrested before witnesses by mili with the Balochistan Liberation Army. Four persons were burnt alive in hot coal tar and there were other abuses reported during the military operation in Balochistan. before t PAKISTAN 33 year the government AHRC‐SPR‐014‐2008
on July ‐Marri. ficials, 35 persons from Frontier warning residents to leave the area 008 that Security forces, backed by an hideouts in Matta, Charbagh and ns have been displaced by the attacks ards Pir Qalla, Juma Khan Korona and illed. More than 1000 officers from law ficial news agency, Associated Press of tened women not to come out of their were conducted in which 1,200 civilians overnment claims that during operations small boat carrying 40 displaced people writ in the Mohmand tribal region. There eed of educated young men are becoming lled and another sustained injuries during ivilian population is sandwiched between violence, including the hanging, stoning to ohistan‐e Several groups claim that n started 19. tarted shelling the area. Troops backed by t. Perceiving the ‘war on terror’ as an open‐ tants were killed and six others injured and Muslim militant groups, particularly by the eel is compromising on issues with the USA militants from areas close to Charsadda and oops and insurgents. militants were killed in acts of violence and helling while three children suffered injuries ls have said that 21 militants were killed and n November, during the ths are ready to go after their leaders, as well day night.
e Baloc nce the m
security forces attacked Talib man councillor, Ms. Bakht Zaiba and another local leader of Pakistan jured. More than 700,000 perso terror’ and militancy from the e number of casualties. Officia the ruling party leader and 15 e ensuing gun battle between tr herwise they will be killed. ibutary of river Kabul on Thurs commission
: This regions has been badly affected by the military operations since 9/11 on rights
human n be in in the areas of th histan and the K
INTERNATIONAL HUMAN RIGHTS DAY 2008 ‐ PAKISTAN asian
THE NORTH WESTERN FRONTIER Khwazakhela tehsils. In the area of Matta houses or go to the markets ot the Taliban has threa The daily Dawn reports, in a feature published on October 14, 2 helicopters and tanks, have launched an operation to flush out Peshawar as part of a wider plan to establish the government's are conflicting reports about th several wounded in the operation launched late Friday night. Local people said that seven militants and six civilians were feared dead in th Reports say that one security personnel (army personnel) was ki an exchange of fire with militants. One student was killed in s while sailing in a boat trying to capsized in Haji Zai River, a tr flee the embattled area. The Residents say that security forces made an announcement at within 30 minutes. They said that soon after this helicopters s 11am tanks with Cobra helicopters flying overhead were advancing tow After 9/11 Pakistan has been faced with a new breed of militan The military operation in Swat valley will have be a year old i local Taleban members, who are responsible for the worst of the death and killing of people through suicide bomb attacks. The c them, and there are reports of heavy casualties. ended crusade against anything Islamic and Muslim, a certain br increasingly angry at the Pakistani establishment, which they f administration, to a level of servility. These middle class you as those in the West. the pretext of the ‘war against claims more than 700 militants were killed. Pakistan, According over to the the period of of one year, 17 suicide bomb were killed and more than 2000 in attacks clashes in Swat valley. According to Swat Media Centre, 15 mili six vehicles were destroyed when On November 24, in Mingora, a wo from both sides: the military and Muslim fundamentalists. The g many hideouts of militants were also destroyed and 62 police of constabulary, 86 Army personnel and 7 from frontier core were k enforcement agencies were injured. peoples Party, Mr. Siraj‐ul‐Haq,
operatio gan aga PROVINCE about 250 persons have been missing si ilitary operatio PAKISTAN 34 College Laddah sub‐ cement of civilians. AHRC‐SPR‐014‐2008
sed since the army launched the paramilitary forces and police were that helicopters and tanks targeted d an operation against militants in the e captured the school and declared the ipment and furniture from many schools icularly in Laddah and Serwakai tehsils. d in Lakaro sub division of the Mohmand kirts of Peshawar and parts of Charsadda Government Degree nistration. A few months back an alleged f the militants in Rashakai and Juma Khan e operation and militants’ hideouts were o and Karier areas were destroyed while a the settled areas of the province about ten nce‐hit area was killed while five civilians under the use of the security forces”. Some wed to return to their houses, even though rit has been eroded and militants have now January due to military operations and the of 580 public sector educational institutions sed large scale displa set up checkpoints and stopped IDPs from killing one person and wounding two others tants of Wana and other areas of the restive villages of Yaka Ghund sub division adjacent destroyed an explosives‐laden vehicle of the )
people, including women and children have been stranded in the ldings of the college “are now villages were declared part of ir own parallel courts and admi ilitants. Security forces have rces have captured strongholds o say that excessive use of force has caused shelling and a curfew. Sources l. Residents said that choppers rces opened fire on a motorcycle, commission
to Bajaur tribal region. rights
human INTERNATIONAL HUMAN RIGHTS DAY 2008 ‐ PAKISTAN asian ears ago. /connect/...r+peshawar‐sal http://www.dawn.net/wps/wcm
conducting joint operations in suspected positions and several hideouts of the militants in 25 settled areas. Local people to Mohmand tribal region. These said Michni, areas which are considered hubs of the militants. Army, These disputed villages housing a population of over 30,000 have virtually been declared a “no go area” and local Taliban had set up the
y ( kidnapper was publicly executed in front of a big mob. Police w focused on the provincial capita including a bystander. Headquarters of the militants in Qanadar government school in Sandokhel area was targeted. Militants hav building their hideout. militants in Badai Korona in which six people were feared dead. The house of a Taliban commander was destroyed in Qala Shah Begg. Fo 350 schools and colleges in five tehsils had been closed since massive displacement of people of the Mehsud tribe. Of a total in the South Waziristan, 350 schools have been closed because the buildings of these facilities have been so badly damaged due to the ongoing conflict. The building of the division was bombed which damaged the infrastructure, while equ has been stolen. The damaged bui 200 students had been enrolled in the college. The Army launche road, causing great Mehsud area of the troubled tribal region in January, which cau hardship to the local Locals said that many houses had been targeted in the area partThe main road between Jandola and South Waziristan has been clo operation in the region and even displaced people were not allo an unofficial ceasefire had been declared in the region. Inhabi region are using alternative routes due to closure of the main population. A student of 10th class, Abadatullah, who was fleeing the viole Army and paramilitary forces were deployed in the northern outs Korona and have started advancement towards Michni. were wounded. A large number of conflict‐hit areas due to heavy collateral damage. district to block entry of the m moving out of the troubled areas. Bombing campaigns have starte region. Helicopter gunships and heavy artillery were used in th shelled in Lakaro adjacent Sources said that security fo PAKISTAN 35 AHRC‐SPR‐014‐2008
There were also reports of militants issiles were fired at a house in the barely five months after a military 22, a Taliban attack targeting a police ed US drone planes killing dozens of the BBC the city of Peshawar in north‐ ziristan and Dir, by slitting their necks, than 100 people in different parts of the ted militants based in the tribal region cording to local media reports. Pakistani d to the tribal underworlds operating out h. The women are not allowed to come out ne injured when Islamic militants raided a ge party was also attacked by drone planes, six people in a missile strike in a Pakistani and Muslim organisations. 250 girl’s schools t, about 200 kilometres south of the provincial ed up some prostitutes from the city to punish ocal Taliban commander.
bal regions ‐ both lying just outside the administrative boundaries of d music businesses. On November d to be criminal gangs connecte ree policemen were killed and o issiles struck the home of a l commission
rights
human INTERNATIONAL HUMAN RIGHTS DAY 2008 ‐ PAKISTAN asian There are continuous violations of Pakistani borders by suspect security post at 3:45 am in the Lora Pull area of Bannu distric capital, Peshawar. civilians by missile attacks. In the month of November a marria killing about 25 persons. On October 22, drones killed at least tribal region of North Waziristan near Khushali Torikhel area near Mir Ali town at around midnight, ac the Afghan border. Two m intelligence officials said the m
In a major extremist action earlier this month in the north western city, suspected Taliban fighters briefly kidnapped some 16 members of the minority Christian community. of Darra Adamkhel and Khyber tri Peshawar. Hundreds of video and barber shops were set on fire or destroyed. The Taliban and other militant organisations hold their own courts and punished more province, including Parachinar, Bajor, Swat, South and North Wa slaughtering them before hundreds of people and stoning to deat from the houses where the militants have a strong hold. warning traders against video an check post and a bomb blast at a Sunni Muslim mosque on Saturday killed at least six people in Pakistan's restive NWFP, officials said. Th were burned or destroyed throughout the province. According to west Pakistan faces a heightened operation cleared them from its outskirts. Back in July, suspec threat from Islamist militants surrounding the city started bombing music stores and warning barbers against shaving their clients' beards in several areas of the city's outskirts. They also pick them for their "sins", and kidnapped more than a dozen members of the minority Christian community. The perpetrators were widely believe The girl’s schools are the main target of the extremist Muslims