ISLAMABAD: The Senate Standing Committee on Human Rights cautioned law enforcement agencies to refrain from custodial torture, which can lead to custodial killings.

The committee chairman, MQM Senator Nasreen Jalil, had called the meeting to discuss the law and order situation in Karachi.

Ms Jalil and Senator Tahir Mashhadi inquired about the 100 or so MQM workers believed to have been picked up by law enforcement agencies during operations in Karachi.

Members of the committee demanded that the suspects be tried in courts and punished if found guilty rather than being picked up, tortured and killed in custody of armed forces.

Balochistan National Party MNA Dr Jehanzeb Jamaldini said instances of enforced disappearances were increasing.

Among the more critical of the Karachi operation was Senator Tahir Mashhadi, who said Urdu speaking people were being targeted.

“Muhajir has a right to dignity. We ask for no favours, only for our basic, fundamental rights. The Karachi police must be depoliticised and the [responsibility] of fighting crime must be handed over to it,” Mr Mashhadi said.

PPP Senator Farhatullah Babar agreed and said it will be criminal if the committee did not demand a thorough investigation into Aftab Ahmed’s murder, who died while being tortured by the Rangers in Karachi.

Senator Babar said an investigation by the Rangers was not acceptable as it was responsible for the death of an MQM worker who was in their custody.

“If killings in custody are to be stopped, Aftab Ahmed’s death should be taken as a test case,” the senator said.

He added that the problem of people disappearing extended beyond Balochistan and Karachi and that in most such cases, only the bodies of the victims are found later.

“It is imperative the government signs the Convention on Enforced Disappearances and pass the anti-torture laws adopted by the Senate in 2015,” he said.

The committee welcomed these suggestions and assigned the National Commission on Human Rights to conduct an inquiry into the death of Aftab Ahmed.

PTI Senator Samina Abid was the only member of the committee to endorse the operation in Karachi being conducted by Rangers.

“Peace was needed in Karachi and the Rangers made that possible. We cannot ignore the sacrifices the men in the armed forces have made to restore stability in Karachi,” Ms Abid said.

Col Qaiser Khattak, who is overseeing the Rangers’ operation in Karachi, told the committee how and why the Pakistan Rangers were tasked to cleanse Karachi of crime on September 5, 2013. He said Rangers were given the lead role in ridding Karachi of terrorism, targeted killings, kidnapping and extortion.

According to Col Khattak, more than 300 people were kidnapped for ransom during 2012-13, three to four people were being killed on an average day, more than 1,900 extortion cases had been reported during 2012-13 and Karachi was rated the sixth most violent city in the world.

“Some 9,500 weapons and more than 505,346 rounds of ammunition were seized since September 2013 which is more that what can be found in a war zone. In the [operations] room, we do not talk about political parties, only about bad guys,” Col Khattak said.

The objective of the operation was to destroy the Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan and sectarian outfits, provide a secure environment for daily life, re-establish the day-to-day writ of the government and liberate the public from fear and coercion, he said.

Col Khattak said 7,950 operations have been conducted since September 5, 2013 with more than 6,300 suspects handed over to the local police, 450 criminals killed, 233 apprehended and 30 soldiers were martyred and another 80 injured.

Published in Dawn, July 28th, 2016