Continued violation of human rights in Balochistan

In quite an eye-opening development, Pakistan’s civil society organizations started taking note of enforced disappearances long before anyone outside the country did.

The Human Rights Commission Pakistan (HRCP) has prepared half a dozen detailed reports about the issue in Balochistan.

The Supreme Court of Pakistan after its restoration took up petitions filed by the relatives of those picked up allegedly for connections with the militants and separatists.

The apex court turned attention to Balochistan earlier this year when hundreds of activists of nationalist parties had been similarly deprived of their freedom.

In the meantime, a section of media and Supreme Court Bar Association (SCBA) also expressed reservations over the issue but their combined efforts have neither led to the production of all the victims nor have these succeeded in putting an end to the abductions.

However, they have been useful in raising public awareness, leading to the release of a few victims, while thanks to their efforts the pace of disappearances has slowed down.

The apex court has summoned top administration officials and heads of civil law enforcement agencies, given them deadlines and passed strictures. However, the court complained of lack of cooperation by the federal and provincial administrations as well as the FC.

Apart from its reports, no one has little sense in expressing displeasure over the visit of the UN Working Group on Enforced and Involuntary Disappearances (UNWGEID) particularly when it had been invited by Islamabad.

Regardless of number of missing persons as claimed by some or below one hundred as conceded by Balochistan government, forceful disappearances have taken place in the province and it is an established fact.

There is a need to take note of the Working Group’s observations and its suggestion to undertake legislation to make forced disappearance a punishable crime is quite sensible.

People will definitely agree that there is a need for dedicated institutions like parliamentary committees for the oversight and accountability of security agencies.

There can be no two opinions regarding the position that the state has to take effective measures to prevent and terminate acts of enforced disappearance.

Short URL: https://www.newspakistan.pk/?p=34396

Posted by Faisal Farooq on Oct 27 2012. Filed under Pakistan, Society. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0. You can skip to the end and leave a response. Pinging is currently not allowed.