The UN International Day in Support of Torture Victims will be observed in Pakistan with a pledge to struggle to eliminate torture from society. Two seminars will be held on this occasion, as well as demonstrations against torture committed by law enforcement agencies, including the armed forces. Human rights activists will urge the government to criminalise torture through legislation rather than by making amendments in the Pakistan Penal Code in an effort to fool the international community and the people of Pakistan into believing that the government has fulfilled its obligation to criminalize torture.
On June 25, a seminar will be held at the Karachi Press Club, jointly organized by the Karachi Press Club, Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP), Karachi University Teachers Society (KUTS), Pakistan Institute of Labour Education and Research (PILER), Legal Aid Office, the Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC), Aurat Foundation, Society for the Protection of the Rights of Child (SPARC), Roshni Helpline, Strengthening Participatory Organisation (SPO), Youth together for Human Rights Education (YHRE) and other organizations.
On June 26, a seminar will be held in Lahore, jointly organized by the Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP), South Asia Partnership-Pakistan (SAPP), Anti-Torture Alliance-Pakistan (ATA) and the Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC). In the seminar, coordinators from 35 districts of SAPP will participate and will also hold separate meetings to discuss how to mobilise the people in their district against torture.
The Voice for Baloch Missing Persons (VBMP) will observe the anti-torture day throughout Balochistan province and the main event will be held in Quetta, the capital of the province, where the family members of missing persons and victims of extrajudicial killings will hold a big protest rally. The VBMP also plan to hold a demonstration in Islamabad in front of Parliament House but local authorities have still not granted permission, which is required as the area comes under the red zone.
In the province of Khyber Pakhtunkha (KPK), different human rights organizations, including the Human Development Organisation, will hold a protest and seminar on June 26.
A strong movement has been developed against torture and ill treatment in Pakistan and a proposed bill against torture has been drafted with input from 47 rights-based organizations. The proposed bill was submitted to parliament before the last general elections in May 2013 and the Chairman of The Parliamentarians’ Committee on Human Rights has also submitted the draft before the national assembly. In recent days, prominent senators have decided to submit the bill in the senate during the next session.
Issued by Baseer Naweed
(Hong Kong, June 24, 2013)
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