ISLAMABAD, July 8: The Pakistan Bar Council has expressed concern about the deteriorating law and order situation in the country, especially in Sindh.

Referring to the attempt on the life of a corps commander in Karachi, a resolution adopted by the PBC's human rights committee said how could the government guarantee safety to the life of the common man when even the life of the corps commander was not secure.

The meeting of the PBC's human rights committee was held on Saturday last week in Karachi but recommendations were released here on Thursday from Islamabad. Rasheed A. Razvi, PBC's vice- chairman presided over the meeting that was also attended by its members Hafiz Abdul Rehman Ansari and Abul Inam.

The committee passed different resolutions on social evils like honour killings, deteriorating law and order situation, detention of Dr Akmal Waheed and Dr Arshed Waheed and Rabi Akbar Purji besides human rights abuses by US occupation forces in Iraq and Afghanistan and atrocities being committed by Israel on Palestinians.

Referring to the law and order situation, the resolution said the recent assassinations of Maulana Nizamuddin Shamzai, Munawar Soharwardy and Pir Binyamin Rezvi proved law enforcement agencies' total failure.

The committee also noted with concern the occurrence of terrorist attacks on two imambargahs at Karachi. Another resolution expressed the committee's concern and dismay on the rising incidence of honour killings despite the superior courts' pronouncements.

Through another resolution, the committee expressed its deep sense of shock on illegal detention of Dr Akmal Waheed and Dr Arshed Waheed of Karachi. The disappearance of Rabbi Akbar Purji, a Lahore-based lawyer, for the past couple of months also spoke of the callous attitude of the authorities concerned.

Which deserved condemnation. "Besides a number of Pakistani citizens were held at the behest of foreign powers, for the so-called interrogations during which they were kept under prolonged detentions before their whereabouts were made known," the resolution said.

The resolution also demanded of the government to treat the citizens honourably by respecting their basic legal rights, adding that no one should be arrested and kept in secret custody.