ISLAMABAD: Data tabled by the Ministry of Human Rights before the Senate on Thursday shows that 129,534 human rights violations were reported across the country in the last five years.

The violations include murders, honour killings, abduction, rape, gang-rape, acid violence, violence against women and violence against children.

The data was tabled by the ministry in response to a question from Senator Mohammad Talha Mehmood, who had asked for details of major human rights violations in the country in the last five years.

Although a large number of people do not file FIRs, it is quite worrisome that most registered FIRs do not reach a conclusion, National Commission on the Status of Women (NCSW) Chairperson Khawar Mumtaz told Dawn.

“It is observed that both the police and lower judiciary are unaware of new laws, and they need to be trained. Civil cases are not concluded for almost 15 years,” she added.

Ms Mumtaz said the absence of forensic laboratories was also a factor in the delays in arrests of individuals involved in heinous crimes.

“There is only one good forensic laboratory in Punjab. The delay in forensic tests provides criminals the opportunity to continue committing crimes,” she said.

According to documents tables in the upper house, the National Police Bureau (NPB), Ministry of Interior and all inspectors general of police (IGP) were asked to provide details of major human rights violations.

The NPB had said that the requisite data was not available with them.

According to the information obtained by the human rights ministry and its regional offices from IGPs and police departments, 129,534 cases were reported between 2013 and 2017.

The National Commission on Human Rights (NCHR) – which formally began operations in December 2015 – has dealt with 1,207 cases of human rights violations against children, women and religious minorities.

The document states that there were 1,169 human rights cases reported in the capital, and 1,895 people were booked in those cases.

In Punjab, 149,300 people were booked in 109,031 cases, oh which 54,165 people were arrested.

Meanwhile, 4,607 human rights violations were reported in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa in which 7,546 suspects were booked and 6,427 were arrested.

In Sindh, 10,967 cases were reported, 9,654 suspects were nominated and 5,108 were arrested, while 3,760 cases were reported in Balochistan in which 5,724 people were booked and 1,565 people were arrested.

NCHR Chairman retired Justice Ali Nawaz Chohan told Dawn these cases needed to be examined further to determine if they fell in the category of human rights violations.

“A number of times, people are murdered on the basis of enmity but they are placed in the category of human rights violations. We need to decipher those cases, and should examine them in detail before placing them in the category of human rights violations,” he said.

Published in Dawn, February 16th, 2018