ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leadership stated that the 100-page US state department report on grave human rights abuses in Pakistan substantiated PTI’s submissions, as lawlessness and fascism pervaded in the country during the past two years, adding the party wanted to live in a democratic Pakistan envisioned by Quaid-e-Azam, where rule of law and constitutional supremacy reign supreme.
Addressing a press conference along with PTI senator Walid Iqbal and Abuzar Salman Niazi, PTI central information secretary Raoof Hasan said that the US 2023 Country report highlighted serious human rights violations in Pakistan, including extrajudicial killings, enforced disappearances, privacy, lack of fair trial, disappearance of journalists, serious restrictions on internet freedom; substantial interference with the freedom of peaceful assembly and freedom of association, torture, inhumane treatment with a lack of accountability etc.
He said that a culture of lawlessness pervaded in the country, as no one freedom, dignity and respect and sanctity of four walls were safe. He went on to say that there were two powers of which one could be seen but was powerless and a dummy, while another was unseen but it was actual power; however, it was working like shadow.
He claimed that there was a de-facto martial law in the country as there was no democracy because only the orders of shadow powers were implemented and no one even could challenge them. He stressed the CJP to perform his duty lawfully and fix the long-delayed PTI’s various petitions for hearing.
Walid Iqbal said that the US report was very important because it covered the entire period after the ‘regime change’, thus it was a damning assessment on the performance of the PDM, caretaker regime and the unseen power-wielders.
He said that the universal declaration of human rights (UDHR) was adopted by the newly established United Nations on 10 December 1948, which set some minimum standards covering human dignity, privacy, freedom, sanctity of four walls that was included in Pakistani constitution as well.
Abuzar Sulaman Niazi said that there was no rule of law and constitution was sacrificed, besides compromising judicial independence. He claimed that enforced extrajudicial killing was rampant, right to privacy, adding right against torture, right to dignity, freedom of expression and right to information were being violated with impunity.
He made it clear that it was high time they have to choose whether to live with a civilised world which believed in rule of law or they stood with the world where there was kingship or authoritarian regime.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2024
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