Human rights and women’s rights activist from Swat Tabbassum Adnan survived an armed attack on Friday night.
Tabbassum Adnan, who besides leading the Women Jirga, is also associated with an international organisation, engaged in human and women development and welfare activities. She said that at midnight some unknown persons opened fire at her home when she was in the kitchen. She immediately called the police for help whereas her bodyguard also retaliated. The attackers escaped from the scene.
She also appreciated the police and Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf MPA Azizullah Gram who immediately arrived at her home.
In response to a question, she said, ‘At this stage she couldn’t name or blame anyone for attacking her home. They could be terrorists or those who were affected with her acts of defending oppressed women or men’.
She said that now her security situation was satisfactory. Zar Ali Khan Afridi, a human rights activist and chairman of Tribal NGO’s Consortium when contacted confirmed survival of Tabbassum Adnan in an attack and held the government responsible for it. He said that there existed terrorists who according to him were a serious threat to human rights defenders. He reminded that Pakistan has not rectified the UN charter of safety and security of human rights defenders. He said that responsibility did rest with the state to take steps for the safety and security of human rights activists.
The human rights defenders are facing threats to their lives and they are also facing hurdles in their work. A large number of human rights activists fell victims of terror and violence in last several years.
