Condemning the assassination of Orangi Pilot Project (OPP) Director Parveen Rehman on Thursday, the Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP) called upon Pakistani citizens to fight for freedom and justice.
In a statement, the commission said, “HRCP condemns in the strongest possible terms the brutal killing of Parveen Rehman, one of the most committed and courageous defenders of the cause of the poor and the disadvantaged this country has had.”
The statement further read, “She worked for thirty years against all odds and hazards, ignoring the threats to her life as she travelled daily through Karachi’s fields to extend succour to vulnerable groups.”
A successor to the Akhtar Hameed Khan, she guided the Orangi Pilot Project in retaining its position as a pioneering institution in the areas of urban development, rural planning, water and sewerage management, poor children’s education and a genuine micro-credit service, the statement said.
The HRCP said that her assassination was a “cruel blow” to the country’s civil society and a great loss to the nation.
The HRCP offered condolences to the bereaved family and the OPP team and affirmed its commitment and solidarity with OPP’s cause.