LAHORE, April 27: The Human Rights Commission of Pakistan on Saaturday condemned the arrests of lawyers in Quetta and described it as a grave attack on citizens’ basic rights and a blatant attempt to suppress dissent.

In a statement issued, HRCP chairperson Afrasiab Khattak also regretted the ‘harassment’ of Dr Ajmal Niazi, an FC College teacher who has been issued a notice for removal from service.

Mr Khattak said the arrests of scores of lawyers, including leaders of the Bar Councils and Bar Associations was a shocking instance of abuse of power by the administration. The lawyers arrested in Quetta, he added, had been punished for exercising their basic rights to peaceful assembly and protest which could not be denied under arbitrary restrictions.

The HRCP chief said that they had every right to express their views on matters of deep concern to the people. Similar rights, he said, were available to Dr Niazi. He said the proceedings had been started against him for taking part in the current debate on national issues. He added that the purpose was to threaten him with loss of livelihood.

The HRCP chairperson asked the government to realize that by “launching its referendum ploy it has generated a political debate and its claim to respect for public opinion will lose all credibility if the voices of dissent are stifled in as crude a manner as attributed to the ousted civilian regime.” Arbitrary arrests and harassment of teachers and columnists, he said, should be stopped.