Pak rights body voices concern over increasing 'political polarisation'

ISLAMABAD: The Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP) expressed concerns over increasing political polarisation in the country, resulting in greater restrictions on civil and political rights, Pakistan-based Dawn reported. The HRCP demanded economic justice and protection of civil rights and stressed the importance of upholding democratic principles and the rule of law.

In its annual report, 'State of Human Rights 2023', released on Wednesday, the HRCP noted with concern that irreparable political divisions led to public acts of arson and violence on May 9, 2023, after the arrest of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) founder Imran Khan.

"What followed was flagrant disregard for the Constitution as unelected forces tightened their grip on the country's democratic structures and civic spaces shrank to an all-time low," the report read, according to Dawn.

According to the report, the state's response to the May 9 riots was to quell dissent by resurrecting military courts to try civilians, perpetrating enforced disappearances, ordering mass arrests and allegedly orchestrating public disassociation from the PTI among many senior party leaders.

The report noted that the right to freedom of expression and assembly took a particular hit during the year. According to the report, the rule of law was poor, with six-year high in fatalities related to terrorist attacks and counter-terrorism operations. The report noted that the practice of extrajudicial killings continued while street crime and the incidence of mob lynchings witnessed a rise.

According to the report, journalists, activists and political workers were subjected to enforced disappearances across the country, like what happened in previous years, Dawn reported. The report noted that young Baloch women held a long march from Turbat to Islamabad to protest against alleged extrajudicial killings and enforced disappearances.

The report said that religious minorities reported an increasing climate of fear, particularly following the attack in Jaranwala, in which scores of churches and homes were torched and looted by mobs after allegations of blasphemy against a Christian man.

The report said that Afghan nationals were rounded up in police raids and sent to deportation centres. Speaking at the launch of the report, HRCP secretary-general Harris Khalique said the economic crisis in 2023 had 'pushed tens of millions of ordinary citizens to the brink of desperation.'

Speaking on incidents of enforced disappearances, Harris Khalique condemned the role and performance of the Commission of Inquiry of Enforced Disappearances and termed it 'disgraceful,' Dawn reported.

HRCP chairperson Asad Iqbal Butt called it critical for the state to fulfil people's rights to education, livelihood and health. He also expressed concern over the low rate of trade unionisation. HRCP Islamabad Vice-Chair Nasreen Azhar said religion continued to be 'weaponized for political purposes'.