State institutions urged to leave personal agendas

LAHORE

The Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP) Executive Council at the conclusion of its two-day meeting stated that the state institutions must discard pursuit of personal agendas and join hands to reverse the worsening conditions for the populace.

In a statement issued on Saturday, the HRCP said: The people have been struggling to safeguard and assert their rights amid dismal conditions across the country. But the people s achievements in that struggle, small though they may be, reinforce belief in their ability to turn the corner. Whatever the capacity human rights defenders in Pakistan, including HRCP activists, have is crucial in the circumstances, but that cannot supplant the state s responsibility to protect and ensure rights for all people.

Talking about Balochistan, the statement asserted that the human rights situation was grave across the country but nowhere was it more so than in Balochistan, as bulk of the problems stemmed from poor political management. The HRCP extends solidarity and sympathy to the people in the province, who have long been struggling for their rights amid persistent injustices, discrimination, enforced disappearances and now disposal of dead bodies of missing persons by the roadside. The state must afford appropriate protection to all citizens and consider meaningful political measures to engage the disgruntled elements. All target killings, of the Baloch or the non-Baolch, must be unreservedly condemned by all actors, who must play their role in identifying, isolating and bringing to justice the killers.

The statement mentioned that the Minorities had been victims of, and rapidly contracting space for non-Muslims. The HRCP is perturbed beyond words by reports of members of minority communities fleeing the country for the sake of safety because of increased faith-based violence. No well-directed effort to mitigate their suffering is visible, calling for urgent steps to address their plight.

The state s capacity to deal with violence perpetuated in the name of religion has seriously declined, and has almost been surrendered in Punjab. There is complete impunity for individuals and groups inciting violence. The repeated cycles of killings in Karachi have left the citizens with an acute sense of insecurity. The state s response to this bloodletting must reflect the people s grave concern. Incidents of mob violence across the country reflect brutalization of society and people s lack of faith in the state s ability and capacity to provide justice. All incidents of violence, irrespective of the perpetrators, must be investigated and those found responsible should be effectively prosecuted, it said.

Reports of judicial enquiries into mob justice, target killings and violence against minority communities must be made public and the recommendations suggested given weight, it added.


(2011-4-17/thenews)