KARACHI: Civil society and human rights activists on Friday expressed their serious concern over the deteriorating situation of human rights in the country and curbs on basic freedoms and demanded the government to ensure provision of fundamental rights to all the citizens.
Addressing a joint press conference at Karachi Press Club, the civil society activists including Karamat Ali of Pakistan Civil Society Forum and National Labour Council; Habibuddin Junaidi, Convener of Sindh Labour Solidarity Committee; Dr. Riaz Shaikh, Deal Faculty of Social Science, Shaheed Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto Institute of Science and Technology (SZABIST); Ms. Mahnaz Rahman, Aurat Foundation; Ms. Nagma Iqtidar, Democratic Student Federation (DSF); Jameel Junejo, Pakistan Fisherfolk Forum; and Jannat Gul of Pakistan Trade Union Defence Campaign expressed their concern over enforced disappearances in various parts of the country.
Karamat Ali said a number of political and civil society activists are still missing in different parts of the country, as many such people are reportedly taken away by the law enforcement agencies from their homes and the state has failed to produce them in any court of law. Families of such missing persons are facing numerous problems including psychological, economic and social problems, but they fail to find any clue or where about of their beloved ones. It is a big human tragedy and the courts are unable to provide any relief to such families, he added.
Commission on Inquiry into the Enforced Disappearances has also failed to deliver so either it should be disbanded or reformed to work effectively under the new leadership. Due course of law and right to fair trail should be ensured, he said.
Karamat Ali pointed out that for many weeks now, transmissions of a leading news TV channel Geo News is suspended by cable operators in many parts of the country due to unknown reasons. “We believe, this is a direct attack on the freedom of press. There is a long history of struggle for freedom of expression and speech in Pakistan. The media is facing restrictions on behest of certain forces in the establishment, who enjoy impunity and there is no accountability of them.”
He said as the current government is completing its tenure and we are hopefully moving towards the next general elections, we demand a grand dialogue on ensuring basic freedoms. It is important to review the situation of basic rights during the last five years and find reasons and pin point the actors behind curtailing people’s rights.
“We must have a collective agenda and commitment to basic rights and mechanism in place that ensure that fundamental freedoms are not compromised and restricted in any circumstances.”
He said the civil society will soon be holding a series of meetings with all major political parties in this regard and seek your support and commitments on this important issue, which is also important ingredient of a fair, transparent political system.
that right to assembly, association, speech and religious belief are fundamental human rights guaranteed under international conventions and Constitution of Pakistan. However, these laws have come under severe attack for the last many years with some disturbing developments in the recent days.
Though it is important for civil society and trade unions to raise these issues through media and ask the government to refrain from actions, which undermine the basic rights. Government rather should ensure that people continue to enjoy these rights.
First issue is that of restrictions on freedom of speech and assembly at educational institutions. We are very much concerned the way a seminar scheduled at Hahib University was stopped at the last moment and invited guests were misbehaved. There are other examples that seminars or debates were not allowed inside universities campuses at many places in the country. Faculty members who speak in favour of these freedoms have been fired. We believe that these actions to curb freedom of speech and assembly at campuses will have very negative impact on the society.
Despite the announcements of restoration of students unions since 2008, the unions are still banned in the public as well as private universities and colleges all over the country. A professor in Punjab University is removed from the service on charges of creating critical thinking among students.
“We are equally concerned the way certain political leaders are being targeted and restrictions are being imposed on their basic freedoms such as freedom of speech. All institutions must respect each other and also citizens of Pakistan,” Karamat Ali said.
We are also concerned the way the social movements are being targeted. We condemn the arrest of Younis Iqbal, Founder of Anjuman e Mazareen, a peasant’s movement in Punjab. It is shameful that he has been arrested in fake cases and declared a terrorist. It looks like our authorities have never learned from past and using the same tactics of declaring peaceful citizens terrorist to achieve certain monetary goal. Okara’s peasant movement is a well known rights movement and we support their just demands and ask for immediate release of Younis and others.
Similarly, there are recent terrorist attacks on people and worship places of minorities communities in various parts of Pakistan. Many lives have been lost on targeted attacks on Christians in Quetta and some parts of Punjab. Attacks on already fragile minorities are casting very badly on Pakistan’s image internationally and also internally. Government must take measures to ensure that basic right of life is protected. All those involved in these heinous crimes be arrested and punished. It is also important that victims’ families are adequately compensated and protected.