LAHORE: The South Asia Partnership-Pakistan (SAP-PK) held a discussion at the FC College on Friday, wherein participants talked about ‘Shrinking spaces for civic actions’ focusing on the last decade.

Various people spoke on the issue, including IA Rehman, who said that shrinking spaces were certainly no way to enforce democracy.

“If you gag a society, you wouldn’t have a society anymore; you will end up having a graveyard,” he said. “You cannot just close down the democratic process like the way it is being done here.”

According to the Human Rights Commission of Pakistan, only in 2016 seven journalists were killed, 15 physically attacked, nine media houses attacked, and 24 threats of attacks were hurled. In January, four bloggers were picked up, adding to the fright of many who have become further restrained from speaking out.

He said that the shrinking spaces for freedom of expression had become a threat to almost anyone.

“There are several laws that can affect me and you and everyone else,” he said.

“Under the MPO, they can get cases filed against us, but the problem is there are no cases being filed. People are being picked up. If we look back we can’t see any journalists being charged with anything. But yes they have been murdered.”

SAP-PK’s Irfan Mufti said Asia was a unique continent where there were new democracies emerging and some old ones being threatened.

“While economies are growing democracies are under threat,” he said.

Asad Jamal, human rights lawyer, said the government should regulate but not interfere in the internal expenditures of NGOs. He demanded that ban on student unions be lifted and arbitrary and undemocratic laws like section 144 not be used to stop people from exercising their right to peaceful assembly.

“We must have laws that protect both journalists and whistle blowers,” he said. “Our government seems to think it must control citizens even on cyber space. Laws like PECA and the Pemra Ordinance are vague and prone to misuse, and should be amended.”

He said peace campaigns in India and Pakistan were being threatened, and people had gone missing, especially in Sindh and Balochistan, and this was the violation of their basic rights. There should be no impunity for state agents who violated rights and laws. Abuse of anti terrorism laws must stop and enforced disappearances must come to an end.

He said civil society activities were being curtailed and the word “national security” was being openly used to stop anything from happening.

“The government should regulate but not interfere in the internal expenditures of NGOs,” he said, adding “ban on student unions should be lifted and arbitrary and undemocratic laws like Section 144 should stop being used for people to exercise their right to peaceful assembly.”

He demanded that the government see if marginalised communities, including women and children, were safe, and attacks on women and marginalized communities during protests were dealt with strictly.

The Human Capital Report of 2016 ranks Pakistan at 118, of 130 countries. Pakistan is at the bottom of the World Economic Report and the Gender Gap Index.

The government, he said, should recognise the role of civil society and promote a culture of cooperation.

Published in Dawn, September 9th, 2017