ISLAMABAD, Nov 10: The Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP) on Monday announced the establishment of a ‘Centre for Democratic Development’ in the capital.

The centre will monitor the functioning of the Parliament and foster debate on national issues.

Speaking at a meeting, attended by a sizable number of parliamentarians, mediapersons and academicians, the HRCP acting president, Afrasiab Khattak, said state in Pakistan had gone completely out of control. It did not consider itself accountable to anyone, and adopted policies and allocated resources in utter disregard of the interests or aspirations of the people, he added.

It was the endeavour of the HRCP, Mr Khattak said, to see the assemblies empowered, irrespective of the widespread allegations of pre-poll rigging, and ensure that the state should respect the people and not stand in the way of functioning of a democratic system.

The acting president also briefly presented a dismal picture of NWFP.

“The province was in the clutches of a Mulla-Military alliance, which had enforced complete gender segregation and was working for the development of a Jehadi culture.

“What we are witnessing these days is a new round of Jehad, which is designed to boost the morale of Taliban in Afghanistan,” he said.

Mr Khattak alleged that the banned Jehadi organizations were busy delivering fiery speeches in the length and breadth of NWFP.

The HRCP Centre in Islamabad, he said, would also maintain contact with the international community, though it had been one of the powerful supporters of dictatorship in Pakistan.

Earlier, former HRCP chairperson Asma Jehangir observed that governments in Pakistan waxed themselves eloquent in favour of human rights, while opposed democracy in Pakistan. There could be no human rights without democracy, she stressed.

“The tentacles of the military in civil society had gone so deep that it needs all our energy, vigour and commitment to get rid of these.”

For the past few months, Ms Jehangir said, there had been attempts to misinform the people about the importance of politics and politicians for democratic functioning of the country.

The HRCP director, I.A. Rehman, said Pakistan had experienced dictatorship in various forms including those using the facade of democracy, egalitarianism and majoritarianism.

Both the ruling party and the opposition had their own roles to play in a democratic dispensation, Mr Rehman stressed.

“In the bad old days, a bill was published for facilitating public debate.

“But the things had come to such a pass that even the prime minister had admitted on record that a bill had been moved in the assembly on behalf of the government without the knowledge of the Cabinet,” the director said.

The HRCP Centre in Islamabad would enlist the cooperation of the members of parliament, political parties, academicians, mediapersons and youth in democratic debate on the issues confronting the nation, he added.