Pakistan COI Compilation, August 2016
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BEREICH | EVENTL. ABTEILUNG | WWW.ROTESKREUZ.AT ACCORD - Austrian Centre for Country of Origin & Asylum Research and Documentation Pakistan COI Compilation August 2016 This report does not contain information on the treatment of religious minorities in Pakistan. This report serves the specific purpose of collating legally relevant information on conditions in countries of origin pertinent to the assessment of claims for asylum. It is not intended to be a general report on human rights conditions. The report is prepared within a specified time frame on the basis of publicly available documents as well as information provided by experts. All sources are cited and fully referenced. This report is not, and does not purport to be, either exhaustive with regard to conditions in the country surveyed, or conclusive as to the merits of any particular claim to refugee status or asylum. Every effort has been made to compile information from reliable sources; users should refer to the full text of documents cited and assess the credibility, relevance and timeliness of source material with reference to the specific research concerns arising from individual applications. © Austrian Red Cross/ACCORD An electronic version of this report is available on www.ecoi.net. Austrian Red Cross/ACCORD Wiedner Hauptstraße 32 A- 1040 Vienna, Austria Phone: +43 1 58 900 – 582 E-Mail: [email protected] Web: http://www.redcross.at/accord Commissioned by the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, Division of International Protection. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author. TABLE OF CONTENTS List of Abbreviations ........................................................................................................................ 5 1 Background information ......................................................................................................... 6 1.1 Geographical information .................................................................................................... 6 1.2 Brief overview of linguistic, ethnic and religious groups ................................................... 7 1.3 Brief overview of political institutions .............................................................................. 13 1.4 Brief overview of legal and judicial institutions ................................................................ 16 1.5 Brief overview of socio-economic situation ..................................................................... 20 1.6 Brief overview of humanitarian situation ......................................................................... 22 1.7 Brief overview of security situation .................................................................................. 24 1.7.1 Sectarian violence ...................................................................................................... 24 1.7.2 Internal armed conflict ............................................................................................... 28 1.7.3 Civilian casualties ........................................................................................................ 32 2 Main Political Developments ................................................................................................ 36 2.1 Brief overview of political parties and opposition parties ............................................... 36 2.1 Elections and political participation .................................................................................. 43 3 Non-state armed actors and militant groups ...................................................................... 49 3.1 Pakistani Taliban................................................................................................................. 49 3.1.1 Tehreek -e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) ............................................................................. 49 3.1.2 Lashkar-e-Islam (LI) .................................................................................................... 53 3.1.3 Punjabi Taliban ........................................................................................................... 55 3.2 Afghan Taliban .................................................................................................................... 57 3.2.1 Haqqani Network (HQN) ............................................................................................ 58 3.3 Sectarian groups ................................................................................................................ 59 3.3.1 Sipah-e-Sahaba Pakistan (SSP) ................................................................................... 59 3.3.2 Lashkar-e-Jhangvi (LeJ or LJ) ...................................................................................... 60 3.3.3 Tehreek-e-Jaferia Pakistan (TJP) ................................................................................ 63 3.3.4 Sipah-e-Mohammed Pakistan (SMP) ......................................................................... 63 3.4 Anti-India oriented jihadist groups ................................................................................... 64 3.4.1 Hizb-ul-Mujahideen (HM) .......................................................................................... 64 3.4.2 Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) ................................................................................................. 65 3.4.3 Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) ......................................................................................... 67 3.5 International armed groups (globally oriented) ............................................................... 68 3.5.1 Al-Qaeda (AQ) ............................................................................................................. 68 3.5.2 Islamic State (IS) (aka ISIL, ISIS, Da’ish) ...................................................................... 69 3.5.3 Islamic Movement of Uzbekistan (IMU) .................................................................... 70 3.6 Nationalist insurgents ........................................................................................................ 70 3.6.1 Sindhu Desh Liberation Front (SDLF) ......................................................................... 70 3.7 Balochi groups .................................................................................................................... 71 3.7.1 The Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA) ..................................................................... 71 3.7.2 The Baloch Liberation Front (BLF) ............................................................................. 72 3.7.3 The Baloch Republican Army (BRA) ........................................................................... 73 3.7.4 United Baloch Army (UBA) ......................................................................................... 73 2 3.7.5 Lashkar-e-Balochistan ................................................................................................ 74 4 State Security Forces ............................................................................................................. 75 4.1 Overview of the elements of the State security forces ................................................... 75 4.2 Anti-terrorist measures ..................................................................................................... 84 4.2.1 Militarization of civilian forces ................................................................................... 84 4.2.2 Military courts ............................................................................................................ 91 4.2.3 Military operations ..................................................................................................... 96 4.3 Unlawful use of force ....................................................................................................... 100 4.3.1 Extrajudicial killings .................................................................................................. 100 4.3.2 Unlawful use of violence and harassment .............................................................. 103 4.4 Corruption of state security forces ................................................................................. 105 4.5 Allegations of violations of human rights and international humanitarian law ........... 108 4.6 Forced and/or child recruitment ..................................................................................... 111 5 Rule of law and administration of justice .......................................................................... 113 5.1 Criminal justice system .................................................................................................... 113 5.2 Judicial independence ..................................................................................................... 116 5.3 Corruption in the judicial system .................................................................................... 120 5.4 Security concerns ............................................................................................................. 122 5.5 Access to justice ............................................................................................................... 125 5.5.1 Fair trial ..................................................................................................................... 125 5.5.2 Due process and procedural guarantees ...............................................................