LAHORE, March 5: The Human Rights Commission of Pakistan criticized on Wednesday the arrest of Khalid Sheikh and his handing over the US authorities.

In a statement HRCP general secretary Hina Jilani said the arrest and delivery of Khalid Sheikh indicated that the trend of illegal detentions and disregard for due process that continued last year was growing more and more ominous.

She said the failure to bring charges against Khalid Sheikh meant that the rule of law continued to be disregarded. It has not been explained under which law he was extradited to the US.

Ms Jilani said also disturbing was the fact that countries such as the US that have in the past respected human rights, now seemed to have ignored the rights. Statements emanating from Washington that militants could be taken to a third country for interrogation were as such extremely alarming.

She demanded that the Bagram Airbase in Afghanistan should be opened fully for inspection by human rights monitors and assurances provided that no prisoner held there was being tortured in any way.

At the same time, the continuing illegal detentions in the country and the official resort to fabrication and deceit following extraditions must be ended.

She said only by ensuring the rule of law could the sense of social injustice pervading society be checked and growing militant tendencies among the many who felt wronged by law halted.

Ms Jilani said the HRCP condemned all forms of terrorism, but the principle of respect for the basic rights of all human beings could not be sacrificed in any situation. No-one should be deprived of liberty save in accordance with the law and the bar to torture of detainees must never be violated under any circumstances, she said.