Islamabad, August 30: The Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP) has called upon the government to immediately ratify the UN Convention against Enforced and Involuntary Disappearances. The Commission also called for prosecution of those involved in enforced disappearances as not even a single person has been prosecuted.

In a statement issued at the International Day of the Victims of Enforced Disappearances, the commission said:

“The government should criminalise enforced disappearances. The situation of Pakistan regarding missing persons is unique in the world, such that it has promulgated two distinct laws that provide legal cover to the practice of enforced disappearances. Under the Pakistan Protection Act of 2014, based on reasonable suspicion, it is legal to deprive any person of liberty for 90 days without warrant. Similarly, Action in Aid of Civil Power Regulation of 2011 provides legal protection to the actions and operations of the armed forces. These laws are in stark contrast to the provisions depicted in the Constitution of Pakistan and Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR) and provide and impunity to the perpetrators of this crime.

The consultation was organised to observe the International Day of the Disappeared, which was followed by a small demonstration. The event was attended by human rights activists, law experts, media persons, representatives of civil society organisations and families of the missing persons from Balochistan, KP and Sindh.

HRCP recorded interviews with the affected families from Sindh earlier this year, which were shown during the consultation. The families present at the event narrated their stories to the participants and this was followed by an open discussion by the civil society organisations.

Amna Masood Janjua, human rights activist and chairperson of Defence for Human Rights, expressed concern over the apparent disinterest of the government to deal with the matter. She recommended that all key stakeholders should come together and engage in a dialogue on the matter, as political action seems to be a viable option.

Leaders of civil society organisations highlighted that if this serious abuse is not checked, it will lead to a continuation of serious violation of human rights in the future.

“It is regretted that the state institutions including the present government is not addressing this violation seriously. Narration of the victims present at the consultation has indicated that the state actors involved in this have emboldened due to the lack of action”, said Asma Jehangir, former chairperson of Human Rights Commission of Pakistan and the Supreme Court Bar president.

(I.A.Rehman)

Secretary General