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PAKISTAN: Newspaper advertisements call for the murder of a human rights lawyer in Punjab; police silently spectate

September 8, 2009

ASIAN HUMAN RIGHTS COMMISSION – URGENT APPEALS PROGRAMME

Urgent Appeal Case: AHRC-UAC-115-2009



9 September 2009
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PAKISTAN: Newspaper advertisements call for the murder of a human rights lawyer in Punjab; police silently spectate

ISSUES: Threats; human rights defenders; religious minorities; blasphemy laws
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Dear friends,

The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has received information that a human rights lawyer who offers free legal counsel to victims of the country's harsh blasphemy laws, has escaped an attempt on his life and is receiving continual death threats from Muslim fundamentalist groups. Local police officers have repeatedly rebuffed his requests for help and protection. Announcements have been allowed to be published in newspapers that call for the lawyer's murder as a service to Islam. The willful negligence by the police and the failure of the Pakistani government to address the rights of religious minorities is allowing radicals to intimidate and attack with impunity. The AHRC is gravely concerned for the safety of the victim, and of human rights defenders in Faisalabad.

CASE DETAILS:

Mr. Rao Zafar Iqbal is the executive director of the National Council for Human Rights. According to information provided by the Cathe Foundation Pakistan, a fatwa (religious declaration) was published in the local newspaper Daily Pavel on 4 August  (pictured, click for larger image)  which stated that Mr. Iqbal is liable to be killed for helping detainee Mohammad Ayube. Ayube is under arrest for claiming to be the prophet (peace be upon him), and a Fatwa was earlier published against him in the Daily Express newspaper and the Daily Pavel.

The fatwa also referred to Iqbal’s legal support of a Christian, Imran Masih, who was falsely charged and wrongly arrested under blasphemy laws earlier this year. (The AHRC issued UAC-089-2009 in support of Masih in July, and his case is currently being personally reviewed by the Chief Minister of Punjab). The fatwa declared that to murder Mr. Iqbal would be doing a service to Islam.

In late July two extremist groups, Jan Nisaran-e-Nabuwat and Aqeeda-e-Tahafuz-e-Kathme Nabuwat, sent threatening letters to the lawyer demanding that he stop giving legal help to religious minorities. Iqbal took one to the City Chief Police Officer (CCPO) in Faisalabad, Punjab province to apply for some form of protection, but says that he was soundly rejected. He suspects that this was because of a grudge held by the district's high ranking police officers. (He has exposed the misconduct of local officers in the media as part of his human rights work).

Five days later the lawyer was shot at twice by two men near his house. A call to police received no response and a case was not lodged until Iqbal approached the CCPO Faisalabad to insist on one being taken against the gunmen (FIR#465 /09 under section 324 of the Pakistan Penal Code). But two months later no investigation has started. Iqbal continues to receive threats from anonymous callers who tell him that he will not escape so easily next time. He has tried to report them to the CCPO but says he has been met with dismissive remarks and advice to simply stop his activities as human rights defender.

This is a curious response from a senior law enforcement officer asked for protection by a victim of violent crime, and it shows how cleanly the system in Pakistan has broken from the path of law and order. It also begs the question: what exactly are the police for? To see almost no adherence to criminal procedure and no will to confront extreme acts of religious hatred--in the streets and in newspapers--is a grave sign, as is the apparent comfort of the official in this role and his easy abuse of his position to satisfy a vendetta. This incident of police inaction, like many reported by the AHRC (including recently, UAC-045-2009 and UAC-097-2009) makes a case for a widespread reform and review of policing.

However lasting change will not come until there is real political will behind it, and recent history has shown little interest from the Pubjab government in tackling radical religious discrimination. Instead political expediency appears to take priority. During the most recent provincial elections the chief minister ran uncontested; there were many reports alleging the intimidation of potential opposition candidates by groups such as Sipaha-e-sahaba, notorious for its virulent attacks against Shiite Muslims, Ahmadis and Christians.
Without political reform and stronger restrictions to prevent ministerial corruption, religious minorities and human rights defenders will continue to live and operate in fear.

SUGGESTED ACTION:

Please write to the relevant authorities urging them to investigate the attack on Mr. Rao Zafar Iqbal, and reminding the government and law enforcement officials of their responsibilities to protect minority groups and human rights defenders.

The AHRC has written to the UN Special Representative of the Secretary General for human rights defenders informing her of this case.

To support this appeal please click here:
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SAMPLE LETTER:

Dear ____________,

Re: PAKISTAN: Newspaper advertisements call for the murder of a human rights lawyer in Punjab; police silently spectate

Name of the victim:
Mr. Rao Zafar Iqbal, advocate; executive director of National Council for Human Rights; resident of Faisalabad district, Punjab province
Names of fundamentalist organisations involved:
1. Khuddam-e-Islam Pakistan, Faisalabad district, Punjab province
2. Jan Nisaran-e-Nabuwat, Faisalabad district, Punjab province
3. Aqeeda-e-Tahafuz-e-Kathme Nabuwat, Faisalabad district, Punjab province
Negligent officials involved:
1. Station House Officer (SHO), Mansoorabad Police station, Faisalabad District, Punjab province, 
2. The City Chief Police Officer (CCPO), Faisalabad City, Punjab province

Place of incident: Faisalabad, Punjab 
Date of incident: July 2009

I am concerned to hear that police in Faisalabad are doing nothing to protect a human rights lawyer who offers free legal counsel to victims of the country's harsh blasphemy laws, despite an attempt having recently been made on his life.

Mr. Rao Zafar Iqbal is the executive director of the National Council for Human Rights. According to information provided by the Cathe Foundation Pakistan, an NGO, Mr. Rao Zafar Iqbal is the executive director of the National Council for Human Rights. According to information provided by the Cathe Foundation Pakistan, an NGO, a general fatwa was published in the Daily Express on 3 July, and another in the Daily Pavel on 4 August which stated that Mr. Iqbal is liable to being killed for helping detainees Mohammad Ayube and Imran Masih, a Christian.

On July 22 two extremist groups, Jan Nisaran-e-Nabuwat and Aqeeda-e-Tahafuz-e-Kathme Nabuwat, wrote Iqbal threatening letters and yet his application for protection to the Chief Police Officer (CCPO) in Faisalabad was soundly rejected. Five days later the lawyer was shot at twice by two men near his house. A call to police received no response and a case was not lodged until Iqbal approached the City Chief Police Officer (CCPO) of Faisalabad to insist on it (FIR 465/09 under section 324 of the Pakistan Penal Code). I have heard that two months on, no investigation has started.

I am aware that Iqbal has been receiving anonymous telephone calls telling him that he won't escape so easily next time, and that he has tried to report them to the CCPO, only to be advised to simply stop his activities as a human rights defender.

This is a curious response from a senior law enforcement officer asked for protection by a victim of violent crime, and it shows how cleanly the system in Pakistan has broken from the path of law and order. It also begs the question: what exactly are the police for? To see almost no adherence to criminal procedure and no will to confront extreme acts of religious hatred, in the streets and in newspapers, is a grave sign, as is the apparent comfort of the official in this role and his easy abuse of his position to satisfy a vendetta. This incident of police inaction—like many reported by the AHRC-- makes a case for a widespread reform and review of policing.

However I believe that change will not come until there is real political will, and recent history has shown little interest from the Pubjab government in tackling radical religious discrimination. Instead political expediency appears to take priority.

Without political reform and stronger restrictions for ministerial corruption, religious minorities and human rights defenders will continue to live in fear.

I demand that you arrange immediate protection for Mr. Rao Zafar Iqbal, and would like to remind you of the state's responsibility to protect minority groups and human rights defenders according to the rights enshrined in the constitution. I expect an investigation to be launched immediately into the members of Muslim extremist groups who are openly harassing Mr. Iqbal and publicly spreading messages of hatred and hostility, and into the publishing houses that have allowed incitements to murder to be printed nation-wide.

The UN Special Representative of the Secretary General for human rights defenders has been informed of this case. Human rights defenders are precious commodities. They deserve respect and protection.


Yours sincerely,

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PLEASE SEND YOUR LETTERS TO:

1.Mr. Syed Yousaf Raza Gillani
Prime Minister
Prime Minister House
Islamabad
PAKISTAN
Fax: +92 51 922 1596
Tel: +92 51 920 6111
E-mail: secretary@cabinet.gov.pk

2. Minister for Interior
R Block Pak Secretariat
Islamabad
PAKISTAN
Tel: +92 51 9212026
Fax: +92 51 9202624
E-mail: ministry.interior@gmail.com or interior.complaintcell@gmail.com

3. Mr. Mian Shahbaz Sharif
Chief Minister of Punjab
H-180 Model Town
Lahore
PAKISTAN
Fax: +92 42 5881383

4. Mr.Syed Mumtaz Alam Gillani
Federal Minister for Human Rights
Ministry of Human Rights
Old US Aid building
Ata Turk Avenue
G-5, Islamabad
PAKISTAN
Fax: +9251-9204108
Email: sarfaraz_yousuf@yahoo.com

5. Minister of Law
Government of Punjab
Punjab Secretariat
Ravi Road
Lahore
PAKISTAN
E-mail: law@punjab.gov.pk

6. Chief Secretary of Government of Punjab
Punjab Secretariat
Lahore
PAKISTAN
Fax: +92 42 7324489
E-mail: chiefsecy@punjab.gov.pk

7. Mr. Salman Taseer
Governor of Punjab
Governor House
Mall Road
Lahore
PAKISTAN

8. Dr. Faqir Hussain
Registrar
Supreme Court of Pakistan
Constitution Avenue
Islamabad
PAKISTAN
Fax: + 92 51 9213452
E-mail: mail@supremecourt.gov.pk
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Thank you.
Urgent Appeals Programme
Asian Human Rights Commission (ua@ahrc.asia)

Document Type :
Urgent Appeal Case
Document ID :
AHRC-UAC-115-2009
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Extended Introduction: Urgent Appeals, theory and practice

A need for dialogue

Many people across Asia are frustrated by the widespread lack of respect for human rights in their countries.  Some may be unhappy about the limitations on the freedom of expression or restrictions on privacy, while some are affected by police brutality and military killings.  Many others are frustrated with the absence of rights on labour issues, the environment, gender and the like. 

Yet the expression of this frustration tends to stay firmly in the private sphere.  People complain among friends and family and within their social circles, but often on a low profile basis. This kind of public discourse is not usually an effective measure of the situation in a country because it is so hard to monitor. 

Though the media may cover the issues in a broad manner they rarely broadcast the private fears and anxieties of the average person.  And along with censorship – a common blight in Asia – there is also often a conscious attempt in the media to reflect a positive or at least sober mood at home, where expressions of domestic malcontent are discouraged as unfashionably unpatriotic. Talking about issues like torture is rarely encouraged in the public realm.

There may also be unwritten, possibly unconscious social taboos that stop the public reflection of private grievances.  Where authoritarian control is tight, sophisticated strategies are put into play by equally sophisticated media practices to keep complaints out of the public space, sometimes very subtly.  In other places an inner consensus is influenced by the privileged section of a society, which can control social expression of those less fortunate.  Moral and ethical qualms can also be an obstacle.

In this way, causes for complaint go unaddressed, un-discussed and unresolved and oppression in its many forms, self perpetuates.  For any action to arise out of private frustration, people need ways to get these issues into the public sphere.

Changing society

In the past bridging this gap was a formidable task; it relied on channels of public expression that required money and were therefore controlled by investors.  Printing presses were expensive, which blocked the gate to expression to anyone without money.  Except in times of revolution the media in Asia has tended to serve the well-off and sideline or misrepresent the poor.

Still, thanks to the IT revolution it is now possible to communicate with large audiences at little cost.  In this situation there is a real avenue for taking issues from private to public, regardless of the class or caste of the individual.

Practical action

The AHRC Urgent Appeals system was created to give a voice to those affected by human rights violations, and by doing so, to create a network of support and open avenues for action.  If X’s freedom of expression is denied, if Y is tortured by someone in power or if Z finds his or her labour rights abused, the incident can be swiftly and effectively broadcast and dealt with. The resulting solidarity can lead to action, resolution and change. And as more people understand their rights and follow suit, as the human rights consciousness grows, change happens faster. The Internet has become one of the human rights community’s most powerful tools.   

At the core of the Urgent Appeals Program is the recording of human rights violations at a grass roots level with objectivity, sympathy and competence. Our information is firstly gathered on the ground, close to the victim of the violation, and is then broadcast by a team of advocates, who can apply decades of experience in the field and a working knowledge of the international human rights arena. The flow of information – due to domestic restrictions – often goes from the source and out to the international community via our program, which then builds a pressure for action that steadily makes its way back to the source through his or her own government.   However these cases in bulk create a narrative – and this is most important aspect of our program. As noted by Sri Lankan human rights lawyer and director of the Asian Human Rights Commission, Basil Fernando:

"The urgent appeal introduces narrative as the driving force for social change. This idea was well expressed in the film Amistad, regarding the issue of slavery. The old man in the film, former president and lawyer, states that to resolve this historical problem it is very essential to know the narrative of the people. It was on this basis that a court case is conducted later. The AHRC establishes the narrative of human rights violations through the urgent appeals. If the narrative is right, the organisation will be doing all right."

Patterns start to emerge as violations are documented across the continent, allowing us to take a more authoritative, systemic response, and to pinpoint the systems within each country that are breaking down. This way we are able to discover and explain why and how violations take place, and how they can most effectively be addressed. On this path, larger audiences have opened up to us and become involved: international NGOs and think tanks, national human rights commissions and United Nations bodies.  The program and its coordinators have become a well-used tool for the international media and for human rights education programs. All this helps pave the way for radical reforms to improve, protect and to promote human rights in the region.