KARACHI, Dec 18: The United Nations Human Rights Council expressing grave concern over the violation of human rights in Pakistan during its 6th session in Geneva has stressed the need for corrective measures in this regard.
This was stated by the secretary-general of the Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP), Iqbal Haider, in a statement issued after his arrival from Geneva.
Mr Haider disclosed that the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Louise Arbour, while presenting her report in the Human Rights Council (HRC) on the human rights situation the world over had expressed concern over the conditions in Pakistan, inter alia, that “emergency rule and actions taken under it have inflicted severe, long-term injury to the judiciary and to civil society. All possible corrective measures should be put into place to restore confidence in a fully independent judicial system in Pakistan”.
Mr Haider as a participant in the debate on behalf of the HRCP and the International Federation for Human Rights (FIDH), expressed deepest concern over the dramatic setback in the field of human rights and the rule of law in Pakistan.
He stated that during the weeks following the proclamation of the so-called state of emergency and the suspension of the Constitution by General Pervez Musharraf, thousands of citizens including the chief justice and judges of the superior courts, lawyers, journalists, teachers, students, trade union leaders and human rights activists were being victimized, attacked, detained, tortured or put under house arrest. “In addition, severe restrictions on the print and electronic media are persisting”, he said.
He also pinpointed the cases of forced disappearances that were pending before the Supreme Court of Pakistan. Immediately after the proclamation of the so-called state of emergency, the Chief Justice of Pakistan, Iftikhar Chaudhary, along with several Supreme Court and provincial high courts’ judges, were dismissed, as General Pervez Musharaf personally felt threatened, he informed the international body.
He said that the Jan 8 election was not a step forward in the direction of a sustainable democracy. Unfortunately, under the present conditions, it was aimed at sustaining the dictatorship, he claimed.
On behalf of the FIDH and the HRCP, Mr Haider urged the Pakistan government to forthwith reinstate Chief Justice Chaudhary and all those judges of the Supreme Court and high courts who had refused to take oaths under the PCO, appoint a truly independent, impartial and effective Election Commission, free all lawyers, journalists, civil society activists and political prisoners and appoint a neutral caretaker government at the federal and provincial levels.
Mr Haider, who had also called for the lifting of emergency and the PCO, also used the opportunity to reiterate the demand for withdrawing all amendments to the Pemra ordinance and restrictions on the electronic and print media, and on the freedom of expression. He also called for an immediate withdrawal of all amendments to the Army Act.
He also urged the UN Human Rights Council to adopt effective measures for the implementation of the aforesaid recommendations, and to adopt a resolution firmly condemning the current situation.
Source: Dawn
Date:12/19/2007
