WASHINGTON, May 17: The United States on Monday urged the government to prepare for "fair multi-party elections" in 2007. The US State Department put forth two demands in its annual human rights report for 2003
, which also assured President Pervez Musharraf of continued US support for his vision of "a moderate Islamic democracy."
This brief reiteration of support, however, is overshadowed by concerns over ongoing human rights abuses in Pakistan and demands for more democracy. The State Department also urged Pakistan to "strengthen the judiciary and to prepare for free and fair multi-party elections in 2007 that meet international standards."
As an example of human rights abuses in Pakistan, the report mentioned the arrest and continued detention of PML (N) leader Javed Hashmi. Javed Hashmi's was one of the cases that Assistant Secretary of State Christina Rocca, Ambassador Nancy Powell and other senior US officials continued to raise with the government of Pakistan "throughout the year", the report said.
The report said that US officials also raised other "specific cases involving journalists, opposition politicians and religious freedom activists" in their meetings with Pakistani officials but does not identify the individuals involved.
The report described the Legal Framework Order as "a controversial package of constitutional amendments," and observed that several of these amendments "had the effect of transferring substantial executive power from the prime minister to the previously symbolic presidency."
"Some members of the security forces committed serious human rights abuses. Prison conditions remained extremely poor, and police arbitrarily arrested and detained citizens.
The overall credibility of the judiciary remained low. The press was able to publish relatively freely; however, journalists practised self- censorship, especially on sensitive military issues."
The State Department also mentioned reports of the central government's intimidation against journalists and noted that provincial and local governments occasionally arrested journalists and closed newspapers.
"Domestic violence against women, rape and abuse of children remained serious problems. Top levels of the government publicly criticized the practice of 'honour killings', but such killings continued, and traditional social and legal constraints continued to keep women in a subordinate position in society. Trafficking for the purposes of prostitution and bonded-labour remained a serious problem.
The government and employers continued to restrict worker rights significantly. Debt slavery persisted, and bonded-labour of both adults and children remained a problem. The use of child labour remained widespread."
