Fighting for change: Activists unite against human rights violations

HRCP accuses govt for failing to keep its promises

KARACHI/HYDERABAD: Human rights activists took a stand against the unfulfilled promises of the government and spoke against the violation of the rights of the citizens of Pakistan on Human Rights Day.

Under the banner of the Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP), activists shouted slogans in favour of rights for children, women, workers, patients and education outside Karachi Press Club on Thursday.

"The government has not done anything to improve the education [sector]," said Asad Iqbal Butt of HRCP. Forty-seven per cent children in Pakistan still do not go to schools, he pointed out, adding that the government has failed to fulfill its promise to provide free education up to primary level.

'[We want] rights for peasants, labourers and women workers who draw wages below the poverty line' read a banner during a demonstration organised by the HRCP in Hyderabad to mark the global human rights day.

Dr Ashothama Lohano, HRCP's regional coordinator, reiterated that extrajudicial killings have increased in Sindh and Balochistan. "The law and order situation has improved in Karachi to some extent but the way in which the Rangers operate lacks transparency," he said.

Punhal Sario, a protester, lamented that there was an absence of a government plan to deal with the issues of the supply of clean drinking water, electricity and gas. "The low education and health budgets are depriving the people of their rights to education and health services," he claimed.

A delegation of human rights activists from Tank also participated in the protest in Hyderabad. The demonstrators also lit candles in memory of deceased comrades.

Published in The Express Tribune, December 11^th,  2015.