ISLAMABAD, March 19: The human rights situation in Pakistan remains dismal, with the legal, economic, and social rights and freedoms of people not being protected adequately, the Human Rights Commission of Pakistan's annual report indicates.
Speaking at the launch of the report, "State of Human Rights in 2003", HRCP Executive Director I.A. Rahman blamed lack of good governance for the dismal state of affairs and called for transparency, responsibility and accountability in governance to help rectify the situation.
He claimed that despite the apparent introduction of positive measures, such as the abolition of separate electorate, people were not reaping the benefits. Mr Rahman cited terrorist and sectarian carnage as serious emerging problems during 2003.
He expressed concern over the continued erosion of judiciary, and criticized the state's practice of arresting and detaining people without informing their families and not following due process.
Mr Rahman further stated that while there had been economic improvement at macro level, the conditions of the average person had regressed, with unemployment on the rise.
"The institutions of civil society are still under attack," he said, adding that while the government claims to be democratic, political parties did not have the freedom to carry out normal politics. "There are a lack of institutional guarantees for due respect of human rights," he remarked.
The HRCP secretary-general Hina Jillani, expressed concern over the increasing incidents of violence against women, especially honour killings, she explained.
She stated that there was a rising concern over the lack of transparency in governance, with many peace activists facing the risk of being prosecuted. The increasing violence against journalists was also highlighted.
Regarding the ongoing military operation in Wana, South Waziristan, the HRCP's former chairman and National Awami Party leader Afrasiyab Khattak stated that the rights of the people of tribal areas should be protected.
"Women and children are present in the areas which have turned into battlefields. They deserve rights, not bombs," he added. Ms Jillani stated that such operations could not be condoned merely because they were anti-terrorist in nature. "It is important to emphasis the manner in which the state carries out operations," she added.
In response to another question, Mr Khattak termed the Hasba Act introduced by the MMA-led government in NWFP, a step towards religious totalitarianism, claiming that it was similar to Taliban's law on promotion of virtue and prevention of vice.He stressed the importance of preventing the adoption of this "new fascist law."
The HRCP report outlines changes in the social and economic rights of people, the rights of women and children, the treatment of fundamental freedoms, including freedom of access to information, democratic development and law and order.
The HRCP chairman, Tahir Mohammed Khan, and Joint Director, Kamila Hayat, were among those addressed the sizable audience composed of civil society representatives, foreign diplomats and other interested persons.
