KARACHI: Civil society and human rights activists on Friday expressed their serious concern over the deteriorating situation of human rights in the country and curbs on basic freedoms and demanded the government to ensure the provision of fundamental rights to all the citizens.
Addressing a joint press conference at Karachi Press Club, the civil society activists including Pakistan Civil Society Forum (PCSF) representative Karamat Ali, National Labour Council representative Habibuddin Junaidi, Sindh Labour Solidarity Committee Convener Dr Riaz Shaikh, Shaheed Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto Institute of Science and Technology (SZABIST) Social Sciences Dean Mahnaz Rahman, Aurat Foundation representative Nagma Iqtidar, Democratic Student Federation (DSF) representative Jameel Junejo and others addressed the press conference.
Karamat Ali said that a number of political and civil society activists are still missing in different parts of the country, as many such people are reportedly taken away by the law enforcement agencies from their homes and the state has failed to produce them in any court of law. Families of such missing persons are facing numerous problems including psychological, economic and social problems, but they fail to find any clue or where about of their beloved ones, he regretted. It is a big human tragedy and the courts are unable to provide any relief to such families, he added.
Commission on Inquiry into the Enforced Disappearances has also failed to deliver so either it should be disbanded or reformed to work effectively under the new leadership, and due course of law and right to a fair trial should be ensured, he demanded.
He pointed out that for many weeks now, transmission of a leading news TV channel is suspended by the cable operators in many parts of the country due to unknown reasons. “We believe, this is a direct attack on the freedom of the press. There is a long history of the struggle for freedom of expression and speech in Pakistan. The media is facing restrictions on the behest of certain fractions of the society, who enjoy impunity and there is no accountability of them,” he claimed.
He said that as the current government is completing its tenure and we are hopefully moving towards the next general elections, we demand a grand dialogue on ensuring basic freedoms. It is important to review the situation of basic rights during the last five years and find reasons and pinpoint the actors behind curtailing people’s rights, he urged.
“We must have a collective agenda and commitment to basic rights and mechanism in place that ensures that fundamental freedoms are not compromised and restricted in any circumstances,” he proposed.
He said the civil society will soon be holding a series of meetings with all major political parties in this regard and seek support and commitment from people on this important issue, which he said is also an important ingredient of a fair, transparent political system.
He said that the right to assembly, association, speech and religious belief are fundamental human rights guaranteed under international conventions and the constitution of Pakistan. However, these laws have come under severe attack for the last many years with some disturbing developments in the recent days, he said.
He said it is important for the civil society and trade unions to raise these issues through media and ask the government to refrain from actions.
The first issue is that of restrictions on freedom of speech and assembly at educational institutions. We are very much concerned the way a seminar scheduled at Habib University was stopped at the last moment and invited guests were not treated well, he maintained. There are other examples that seminars or debates have not been allowed inside universities campuses at many places in the country.
Faculty members who speak in favour of these freedoms have been fired. We believe that these actions to curb freedom of speech and assembly at campuses will have a very negative impact on the society.
Despite the announcements of the restoration of students’ unions since 2008, the unions are still banned in the public as well as private universities and colleges all over the country, he said. A professor in the University of Punjab has removed from the service on charges of creating critical thinking among students, he further added.
“We are equally concerned the way certain political leaders are being targeted and restrictions are being imposed on their basic freedoms such as freedom of speech. All institutions must respect each other and also citizens of Pakistan,” Karamat Ali said.
Similarly, there are recent terrorist attacks on people and places of religious importance in various parts of Pakistan, he said. Attacks on already fragile minorities are casting very badly on Pakistan’s image internationally and also internally, he described.
Government must take measures to ensure that basic right of life is protected with all those involved in these heinous crimes being arrested and punished, he demanded. It is also important that victims’ families are adequately compensated and protected, he concluded.