ISLAMABAD: National Commission of Human Rights (NCHR) Chairman Ali Nawaz Chauhan and all members of the commission condemned the recent terror attacks on the political gatherings in Mastung and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
According to a local media report, the commission released an official statement which said that ‘these attacks killed hundreds of peaceful civilians who were exercising their constitutional right to political assembly. These attacks against civilians in political gatherings are crimes against humanity and those responsible for planning and carrying them out should be brought to justice’.
“Leaders who fail to take reasonable preventive action, or fail to punish the perpetrators are also responsible for such crimes,” the chairman was quoted in the statement.
At the onset of election 2018, the political activities have been obstructed by tragic events in two provinces. The first attack on Haroon Bilour’s corner meeting in KP and the other attack on Siraj Raisani’s corner meeting in Mastung. The attacks left dozens dead, along with the party leaders.
Following this, there was another assassination attempt in KP on former chief minister Akram Khan Durrani.
“Both the martyrdom of Bilour and Siraj Raisani is worrisome as it discourages political activity which is integral for the continuation of democracy,” the NCHR chairman said.
Activities during elections are visualised as the right of the people to participate in the political process. Security for this purpose should have been sound and foolproof thus discouraging any such attempt that could sabotage election schedule
“Besides many other dimensions, one crucial and most important dimension is the emotional setback, but also the fear of being deprived of all means of livelihood in the affected families. Rehabilitation of affectees of all three incidents in both the provinces is the most important work that the government needs to take up as a priority,” Ali Nawaz Chauhan was quoted.
The NCHR is also concerned about the lack of facilities available in the hospitals. On Saturday, the Quetta Civil Hospital could not handle the load of patients. Beds in the hospital fell short of need and many patients were treated in the corridor of the hospital. The NCHR believes that the precious lives of many injured could have been saved if hospitals were better equipped with facilities to treat the patients being brought.
