South Asians for Human Rights (SAHR), a regional network of human rights defenders, express concern on the decision of the Indian Government to call off Foreign Secretary Level talks with Pakistan which were scheduled to be held on August…
South Asians for Human Rights (SAHR), a network of human rights defenders based in seven countries in South Asia, vehemently condemn the assassination of Mr. Rashid Rehman Khan, a prominent human rights defender and Supreme Court Advocate of Pakistan.
Mr. Khan was gunned down on 7 May 2014 in his office in Multan by two unidentified men, whilst also injuring two others. Mr. Khan, a coordinator of the Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP), was representing Junaid Hafeez, who is accused of blasphemy, and had received death threats which was reported to the relevant authorities. The HRCP also expressed serious concern over the threats to his life in a letter to the Punjab Government in April. It is reported that no action was taken for these threats.
SAHR regrets that the current environment in Pakistan is least conducive to the protection of rights and fundamental freedoms. This assassination comes months after two prominent lawyers, Mr. Malik Jarrar and Mr. Mian Muhammad Tariq were shot dead in February 2013. Such assassinations of prominent human rights defenders further highlights the level of impunity in Pakistan and the failure of the government to uphold the rule of law in the country. Further, the unchecked growth of religious militancy has also affected the work of non governmental organisations, civil society and human rights defenders. The level of impunity enjoyed by religious militancy for targeting human rights defenders, legislators, intellectuals and journalists is even a greater cause for concern.
South Asians for Human Rights (SAHR) condemns the attack on Sarabjit Singh in Pakistan prison on 26th April 2013 and on the Pakistani prisoner, Sanaullah, serving a life term in the high security Kot Balwal jail on the outskirts of Jammu, by a fellow inmate on 3rd May.
This attack comes as an immediate reaction to the attack and death of an Indian prisoner in a Pakistan jail, Sarabjit Singh, who died on 2nd May 2013 after fighting for his life for a week, on being attacked by fellow inmates.
The need of the hour is to stay calm and sane and to observe restrain. We need to uphold the virtues of decency and justice. SAHR strongly feels that reactionary politics and violence of any form is no solution to any problem.
As Gandhiji said, “an eye for an eye will make the whole world blind”. The region’s best tribute to Sarabjit’s memory will be to make sure that no prisoner is ill-treated in any country.
South Asians for Human Rights (SAHR) expresses deep concern at the growing religious terrorism in Pakistan that is daily targeting people on the basis of their faith. The first ten days of January alone has seen two major attacks on members of the Shia sect in Balochistan, including those from Hazara community, killing hundreds of people. The fact that banned sectarian groups openly claim responsibility and the government appears helpless or unwilling to act against them is a sad commentary on the state of callous disregard for human life.
The unchecked growth of religious militancy has also affected the work of NGOs, civil society and human rights defenders. Among those killed in the massacre in Quetta on 10 January was Irfan Khudi Ali, a committed rights activist who had stepped out of his house to help blast victims. Parts of the country have seen increasing violence against NGO workers, particularly women. They have been kidnapped or shot dead in broad daylight. Among those recently killed are female polio vaccinators who were performing their duties in Karachi and Peshawar.
SAHR is deeply disturbed with the recent exchange of firing and report of the beheading of two Indian jawans along the LoC. The firing and killing of two Indian and one Pakistani jawan is highly deplorable and no sane person or society can accept such unwarranted and gruesome incidences. The said incidences have a potential to derail the ongoing peace process that has shown remarkable progress in recent times in easing the visa regime, improving trade relations and securing many other confidence building measures that hold great promise for both the countries.
Initially Pakistan alleged one Pakistani soldier was killed and another injured in an unprovoked Indian firing and accordingly they summoned Indian Deputy High Commissioner Mr. Gopal Baglay and lodged their protest. The report of Pakistani troops crossing LoC in the Mendhar sector of Jammu & Kashmir on Monday and killing two Lance Naik’s is also shocking. The report also says that the body of one of the soldiers was mutilated. India summoned Pakistan’s High Commissioner to protest the gruesome incident. If true, it is reprehensible and must be thoroughly investigated to punish the guilty and ensure such terrible incidences do not recur.
South Asians for Human Rights (SAHR) expresses great concern over the threat made to Asma Jahangir’s life. On Monday evening, Asma revealed on Pakistani media that she had received credible information, that there was a plan by state actors to assassinate her.
Asma has always been a fierce defender of human rights, and strong critic of those who violate them. Her continuing criticism of the military and State security apparatus, particularly with regards to their actions in Balochistan, have made her a foe to these actors.
We the citizens of India and Pakistan strongly condemn the inhuman and dastardly serial blasts in Mumbai on 13th July 2011 in which 21 innocent people were killed and over 140 injured. We offer our heartfelt condolences and sympathies to the bereaved families and pray for quick and complete recovery of all those injured.
It is clear that these blasts are a well orchestrated heinous conspiracy to derail the resumption of the dialogue and peace process between India and Pakistan that was stalled following the terrorist attack in Mumbai in 2008.
With the resumption of dialogue in the last 6 months both the countries had made significant progress towards normalisation of relations and resolution of a number of outstanding issues through a series of high level meetings and exchange programs. The all important meeting of the foreign Ministers of India and Pakistan is scheduled at the end of this month to address a number of crucial issues and the blasts seem to be engineered to disrupt this meeting and derail the peace process once again. It must be remembered that the terror attack in Mumbai in November 2008 was also carried out about two weeks before the scheduled meeting of the foreign secretaries of India and Pakistan in mid December 2008.
The South Asians for Human Rights (SAHR) condemns the assassination of the Federal Minister for Minorities, Shahbaz Bhatti, expressing grief, and alarm at his murder and calling it a manifestation of growing intolerance in society.
Lahore, March 03, 2011: SAHR has condemned the assassination of the Pakistan Federal Minister for Minorities, Shahbaz Bhatti, expressing grief, and alarm at his murder and calling it a manifestation of growing intolerance in society. His murder marks the latest attack on a high-profile Pakistani figure, following the assassination of Punjab Governor Salman Taseer, who had urged reforms in the blasphemy laws that provides for the death penalty. The Federal Minister was assassinated by unknown gunmen in broad daylight in Islamabad while he was on his way to work. He died before his body could be taken to a hospital nearby. Reports are now coming in of groups claiming responsibility and warning others who talk about reforms to blasphemy laws.
South Asians for Human Rights (SAHR) welcomes talks between the Foreign Secretary of India Ms. Nirupama Rao and Pakistan’s Foreign Secretary Mr. Salman Bashir which is scheduled to be held on Thursday, 24th June 2010 in Islamabad Pakistan.
India and Pakistan are to commence a set of back-to-back meetings, starting with the talks between their foreign secretaries. The talks are to cover an entire gamut of bilateral issues, including terrorism, Jammu and Kashmir, confidence-building measures and the Indus water dispute. The aim is at bridging the trust deficit which was created after the Mumbai Attacks in 2008 and exploring ways to revive dialogue between them.
SAHR believes that the talks will provide a much needed opportunity to bridge the differences between the two countries and take positive steps towards peace between India and Pakistan.
South Asians for Human Rights (SAHR) welcomes the decision taken by the Foreign Secretary of India Ms. Nirupama Rao and Pakistan’s Foreign Secretary Mr. Salman Bashir to resume talks at the foreign secretary level between India and Pakistan. The talks which will resume after fourteen months on the 25th of February provide a much needed opportunity to bridge the differences between the two countries and take positive steps towards peace and cooperation in South Asia.
SAHR hopes that resuming the dialogue on all issues of concern will break the tensions between the two countries and prepare the ground for more positive and meaningful outcomes.