ISLAMABAD, March 18: The Human Rights Commission of Pakistan on Tuesday said the human rights situation in the country remained dismal in year 2002, adding that international war against terrorism was also resulting in further degradation of human rights in Pakistan.

The HRCP in its annual report on the State of Human Rights in 2002, said that international powers were ignoring the human rights abuses in Pakistan for ensuring country’s support.

The report which was released by I.A. Rehman, Asma Jehangir, Hina Jillani said such legislative and executive measures were being taken which curtailed the personal liberties of the citizens’ right like amendment in the Anti-Terrorism Act, were being ignored by the international community.

It said that after amendment in ATA, any citizen, suspected of terrorism could be detained for one year without registration of a case.

Asma Jehangir, renowned human rights activist, said that action against Iraq would further weaken the progressive and democratic forces in the Islamic countries.

The report said: “The year 2002 was more eventful than most. However, few of the events brought with them reasons to cheer.”

“It is year for revival of the democracy but the will of the people is not reflected in election results, the report said.

The report said that people’s disenchantment with the judiciary, was also contributing to law and order situation in the country, and the people are going back to primitive methods for settling their disputes.

The year, the HRCP report said, was difficult for the women and the children as a number of women became victims of jirga decisions, acid burning, kidnapping and honour killing.

The report said that the intensity of crime against women increased, with a gang-rape carried out on the orders of a tribal jirga, the number of gang rape cases increasing and higher number of women became victims of acid burning.

It said: A woman was sentenced to death by stoning for the first time in at least 15 years.

The report said that promise of restoration of democracy was not honestly respected. “A series of extraordinary constitutional amendments, orders and ordinances introduced both before and after the October 10 elections, effectively shifted the locus of power from elected representatives to the un-elected president of the country and the military dominated NSC.”

About the emergence of religious parties on the political horizon, the HRCP leaders said it was not without design. All such measures, it said, were designed to ensure that there was no real transfer of power.

The HRCP also rejected election of the president through referendum, saying referendum was seen by the press and by election watchdog bodies as near farcical in the manner of its conduct. “The voters cast multiple ballots at will.”

It said at least 176 legislative measures were promulgated, a record of unprecedented in the country’s history.

About the judiciary, the HRCP said SC dismissed all the petitions challenging the acts of the military ruler, and borrowed the expression of the Supreme Court Bar Association, that the “judiciary has ceased to be independent.”

The HRCP also noted the extension in the retirement age of the judges of superior judiciary two days before the October 10 election.

On law and order, the HRCP report said there were nine major incidents of terrorism, all directed at Western missions, foreign or Christian places of worship or work.

It said extra judicial killings increased as compared to the previous year. At least 236 people were killed in such encounters. More than 50 fell victim to target killing.

The report said that an 18-month-old child was kept in lock-up for 18 months for possessing a klashnikov rifle.

About the jail conditions, it said over 90,000 people remained behind bars at badly overcrowded jails. Hundreds accused of involvement in militant activities were jailed, in almost all cases illegally. An amendment in the Anti-Terrorism Act permitted suspected militants to be held up for a year without charge.”

It said restrictions remained imposed on freedom of movement, which was used as a mean to prevent political gatherings. Movement of clerics was in many cases restricted as a means to prevent sectarian violence.

It said that the Christians in the country faced increased militant violence during a year in which at least 38 died in terrorist attacks. Ahmedis continued to face severe discrimination and remained placed on a separate voting list.

It said that blasphemy laws continued to be used to settle petty disputes with clerics in several cases inciting mobs against those whom they accused of blasphemy.

Journalists, it said, across the country complained of increased harassment and intimidation, often by personnel of intelligence agencies, and at least four new laws acted to restrict press freedoms and prevent access to information.