April 24, 2007	Tuesday	Rabi-us-Sani 06, 1428

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PESHAWAR, April 23: Speakers at a seminar on Monday said Pakistan had neither signed nor ratified the Convention against Torture (CAT) and custodial torture was ‘commonly used by law-enforcement agencies to obtain information’.

The CAT, adopted on December 10, 1984, has been signed by 141 countries. Issues in state behaviour and state custody were addressed in the CAT but Pakistan had not ratified the convention and custodial torture on individuals by government law-enforcement agencies was a common feature, said Uzma Mehboob, a lawyer, while speaking on the first day of the two-day consultative seminar in which journalists were also participating.

The seminar has been organised by the Aurat Foundation in collaboration with the Oxfam-GB and is entitled “Torture — securing protection of citizens in state custody”.

Tehmina Tajik said the four-month-project would focus on awareness among lawyers, police and media regarding torture. A charter of demand would be prepared after holding consultations with lawyers, police and the media. The issue of torture would be taken to the national level so that people could be sensitised about their rights.

Sarfaraz Khan, a teacher at the Area Study Centre of the University of Peshawar, said that torture was inflicted on a person to obtain information from him or her. Societies where torture and violence are common are doomed. Such societies become distorted as coercion and intimidation trickle down from the government agencies to homes and schools where powerful persons inflict torture or use words which propagate violent behaviour.

“Torture and violence is promoted institutionally, religiously and even at the family level. We can ratify conventions and make laws but it is a gigantic task to end this violence,” Mr Khan said.

Violence is not the only solution for people’s problems. All human beings are equal and no one has the right to kill or torture others, Mr Khan added.

Mohammad Riaz, a senior journalist, also spoke on the occasion.

In general the participants of the seminar urged the government to take steps to curb torture as the Universal Declaration of Human Rights also requires states to provide security to its people and to abolish torture.