International Human Rights Day
Thursday, December 10, 2009
By By Shahid Husain Karachi
After 10 long years of military rule the human rights record has definitely improved in Pakistan but the legacy of military dictator Gen (retired) Pervez
Musharraf continues to haunts the people of this impoverished country.
Today one finds the media relatively free though from time to time the bureaucracy tries its level best to intervene; civil and political rights protections too
have improved barring Balochistan where over 1,000 people are still “missing,” one can find enthusiastic masses rallying against sugar crisis, load-
shedding, inflation, unemployment, discrimination against women and children with little interference from police and law enforcement agencies but a
truly democratic culture has long way to go in Pakistan.
“While the government has been keen to promote civil liberties and human rights, its rhetoric has not always been matched by action. Ongoing structural
concerns include lack of an independent judiciary and fair trials; mistreatment, torture, and unresolved enforced disappearance of terrorism suspects
and opponents of the previous military government; military abuses in operations in the tribal areas; the failure to commute death sentences; and legal
discrimination against and mistreatment of religious minorities and women,” said a report by New York-based Human Rights Watch.
A story datelined Quetta and published in an English daily on Wednesday said the Balochistan home department has issued a list of 992 people of
Balochistan province who have been “missing” for several years. It is largely believed that these “missing” people are languishing in the dungeons of
intelligence agencies and have been severely tortured. The nationalist parties of Balochistan claim that the number of “missing” people is much more
and nobody knows about their whereabouts. According to Mir Tahir Bizenjo, general secretary, National Party, large numbers of people from Marri and
Bugti areas in Balochistan have been displaced due to military operation in Balochistan and have been forced to take refuge in Southern Punjab, interior
Sindh and Karachi. Their rehabilitation is a prerequisite if the democratic government of Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani really wants to improve the
burgeoning situation in Balochistan and woe the alienated youth.
According to a report compiled by Madadgaar, a sister organisation of Lawyers for Human Rights and Legal Aid (LHRLA) issued on Wednesday, during
the first 10 months of the current year a total of 5,564 cases of heinous crimes against children were reported nationwide. During the period under
discussion 612 children were murdered, 274 were sodomised, 963 were kidnapped, 374 were trafficked, 852 were married off under force while 154
cases of “vani” against children were also reported. In addition, there were 358 cases of torture and 153 cases of police torture against children while
1,054 children were reported missing. Children were not even spared of so-called honour killing that claimed the lives of 106 children. On the top of that
412 children reportedly committed suicide during the first 10 months.
The grim situation amply demonstrates that the democratic government of Prime Minister Gilani has to pursue a long battle if it really wants to help
improve the lot of Pakistani children.
Similarly, during the first 10 months of current year, 805 women were murdered, 4,720 were raped, 241 were gang raped, 66 were raped and then
murdered, 1,145 were kidnapped and 110 were trafficked.
“The human rights situation remains deplorable in Pakistan, even though the government has, through changes in legislation, made attempts to improve
the situation. The government has restored the judiciary which was disbanded by General Musharraf in 2007, and has proposed to release the political
prisoners in Balochistan,” said the Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC), based in Hong Kong.
“The government has passed two bills regarding the status of women. Firstly, there is the women’s protection bill, for the prevention of domestic violence,
and the provision of aid and services to victims of the same. The second bill provides harsher punishments for those who commit sexual harassment,
expanding the definition of the crime to facilitate prosecution of the perpetrators. It is important to remember that while these changes in legislation are
undoubtedly commendable, the true test lies in their application in the everyday lives of Pakistani civilians, and their impact on the attitudes and values on
both government agents and people. Legislature is of no value if it does not impact the underlying issues which make for these problems,” said Baseer
Naweed of AHRC in a statement issued on Wednesday.
http://www.thenews.com.pk/print1.asp?id=212560
Thursday, December 10, 2009
By By Shahid Husain Karachi
After 10 long years of military rule the human rights record has definitely improved in Pakistan but the legacy of military dictator Gen (retired) Pervez
Musharraf continues to haunts the people of this impoverished country.
Today one finds the media relatively free though from time to time the bureaucracy tries its level best to intervene; civil and political rights protections too
have improved barring Balochistan where over 1,000 people are still “missing,” one can find enthusiastic masses rallying against sugar crisis, load-
shedding, inflation, unemployment, discrimination against women and children with little interference from police and law enforcement agencies but a
truly democratic culture has long way to go in Pakistan.
“While the government has been keen to promote civil liberties and human rights, its rhetoric has not always been matched by action. Ongoing structural
concerns include lack of an independent judiciary and fair trials; mistreatment, torture, and unresolved enforced disappearance of terrorism suspects
and opponents of the previous military government; military abuses in operations in the tribal areas; the failure to commute death sentences; and legal
discrimination against and mistreatment of religious minorities and women,” said a report by New York-based Human Rights Watch.
A story datelined Quetta and published in an English daily on Wednesday said the Balochistan home department has issued a list of 992 people of
Balochistan province who have been “missing” for several years. It is largely believed that these “missing” people are languishing in the dungeons of
intelligence agencies and have been severely tortured. The nationalist parties of Balochistan claim that the number of “missing” people is much more
and nobody knows about their whereabouts. According to Mir Tahir Bizenjo, general secretary, National Party, large numbers of people from Marri and
Bugti areas in Balochistan have been displaced due to military operation in Balochistan and have been forced to take refuge in Southern Punjab, interior
Sindh and Karachi. Their rehabilitation is a prerequisite if the democratic government of Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani really wants to improve the
burgeoning situation in Balochistan and woe the alienated youth.
According to a report compiled by Madadgaar, a sister organisation of Lawyers for Human Rights and Legal Aid (LHRLA) issued on Wednesday, during
the first 10 months of the current year a total of 5,564 cases of heinous crimes against children were reported nationwide. During the period under
discussion 612 children were murdered, 274 were sodomised, 963 were kidnapped, 374 were trafficked, 852 were married off under force while 154
cases of “vani” against children were also reported. In addition, there were 358 cases of torture and 153 cases of police torture against children while
1,054 children were reported missing. Children were not even spared of so-called honour killing that claimed the lives of 106 children. On the top of that
412 children reportedly committed suicide during the first 10 months.
The grim situation amply demonstrates that the democratic government of Prime Minister Gilani has to pursue a long battle if it really wants to help
improve the lot of Pakistani children.
Similarly, during the first 10 months of current year, 805 women were murdered, 4,720 were raped, 241 were gang raped, 66 were raped and then
murdered, 1,145 were kidnapped and 110 were trafficked.
“The human rights situation remains deplorable in Pakistan, even though the government has, through changes in legislation, made attempts to improve
the situation. The government has restored the judiciary which was disbanded by General Musharraf in 2007, and has proposed to release the political
prisoners in Balochistan,” said the Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC), based in Hong Kong.
“The government has passed two bills regarding the status of women. Firstly, there is the women’s protection bill, for the prevention of domestic violence,
and the provision of aid and services to victims of the same. The second bill provides harsher punishments for those who commit sexual harassment,
expanding the definition of the crime to facilitate prosecution of the perpetrators. It is important to remember that while these changes in legislation are
undoubtedly commendable, the true test lies in their application in the everyday lives of Pakistani civilians, and their impact on the attitudes and values on
both government agents and people. Legislature is of no value if it does not impact the underlying issues which make for these problems,” said Baseer
Naweed of AHRC in a statement issued on Wednesday.
http://www.thenews.com.pk/print1.asp?id=212560
