ISLAMABAD, July 5: The Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP) has called for a judicial probe into the functioning, financing and activities of religious seminaries all over the country.
Speaking at a news briefing here on Thursday, the secretary general of HRCP, Syed Iqbal Haider, observed that independent judicial commissions should be constituted in each province, the Federally Administered Tribal Areas (Fata), the Federally Administered Northern Areas (Fana) and the federal capital for this purpose.
He said the federal and provincial governments must take effective action against the violent, threatening terrorist activities and extremist views and decrees of the madressahs or militant religious organizations. He said the government must ensure registration of all madressahs without further delay also publish their particulars about them.
The HRCP secretary general said the government must ensure prosecution and punishment, in accordance with the law, of the two brothers –Abdul Rasheed Ghazi and Abdul Aziz of Lal Masjid– as well as its occupants and that of the Children’s Library, for treason, acts of terrorism and other criminal acts.
He said the federal government must ensure all sorts of encroachments and illegal occupation of land and buildings were removed forthwith.
He said the government should provide alternative accommodation, with basic facilities, to people in curfew- affected areas or ensure adequate and prompt supply of all utilities to residents of these areas.
He said it was a matter of grave concern that there were madressahs like Lal Masjid virtually in every sector of Islamabad.
A consistent pattern was to make a small mosque legally or on encroached land and then to gradually expand its structure with the covert support of the authorities.
Mostly children from poor families, particularly earthquake victims were lead into the seminaries, indoctrinated, trained for terrorist activities and as potential suicide bombers.
He said most of these madressahs were openly or covertly attached to some outlawed extremist organisation. “Lal Masjid was just a small-timer identified due to their own zealous expedition. The greater aim and objective was to spread the cancer of religious militancy and terrorism by first controlling the capital and thereby the entire country,” he remarked.
About the issue of 20 million missing voters from the computerised electoral rolls, currently put for inspection at display centres by the Election Commission, he said that was part of pre-poll rigging. He said the holding of free and fair polls was not possible if such a large number of people were disenfranchised.
He said despite a clear decision by the government to hold elections on a joint-electorate basis, the form for enrolment of the voters contained the same old affidavits and columns.
Referring to the damage caused by the recent floods, he said it was all because of lack of preparedness and sub-standard construction. He said no plans were prepared despite the fact that the government was aware of the impending disaster.
He rejected the claim of the government of having evacuated 40,000 marooned people by 20 helicopters. He said, first of all, so many helicopters were not pressed into action and, secondly, it was not possible to shift 40,000 people to safer places by even using these helicopters.
The HRCP secretary general said the brand new Gwadar coastal highway was swept away due to defective and sub-standard construction. He regretted that the government had taken no action against those responsible for the crime.
Source: Dawn
Date:7/6/2007
