Year-to-date: 83 mutilated corpses found in Balochistan

Torture should be declared a crime, says VC of Human Rights Commission

QUETTA: The Vice Chairman of Human Rights Commission Balochistan chapter Advocate Tahir Hussain said that as many as 83 mutilated bodies were recovered this year in Balochistan.

He said this while addressing a news conference on the International Day in Support of Victims of Torture on Friday here at Quetta Press Club.

He said that as many as 230 cases of disappeared persons are registered with the Supreme Court. He added that people have little knowledge about their rights and called for raising awareness among the public about their basic privileges. He said five years ago, in extension of the UN Treaty on Support of Victims of Torture, Pakistan pledged an effective statute in torture. He said torture should be declared as a crime.

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He said that on the International Day of Support of Victims of Torture, MCT and Pakistan Human Rights Commission should demand of the government to make laws against torture and compensate the victims of torture in Pakistan.

He said that the day reminds everyone that inhuman behaviour, such as torture, still exist in Pakistan, mocking human dignity. He said that after having signed the Treaty five years ago, it is high time Pakistan legislated on the issue. He added that HRCP and MCP have in an open letter to NA welcomed a draft bill that is still pending in the lower house of parliament. "Pakistan Human Rights Commission should demand of the government to make laws against torture and compensate the victims of torture." said Hussain. Both organisations have also suggested good amendments against torture and killing into the draft bill.

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In response to a question, he said that earlier the family members of missing persons would inform them about their dead bodies began to surface, they stopped telling HRCP anything about them now.

Published in The Express Tribune, June 27^th, 2015.