HRCP slams ‘burglary-style raid’ on editor’s house

Claims that the two culprits were no ordinary thieves

LAHORE: The Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP) has condemned the ‘burglary-style raid’ on the house of the editor of its annual report.

In a statement issued on Friday, the HRCP said two armed men broke into the house of Maryam Hasan, the editor of HRCP’s State of Human Rights report, took away her laptop, two hard drives and as many cell phones.

They also took some jewellery and cash. Maryam, who lives alone, was not at home when the suspects broke into the house. HRCP statement claimed that they robbers had also come the day before, but did not commit the burglary as the victim was not at home.

 “They questioned Maryam about her professional engagements and intimidated her in a ‘roundabout manner’, finally leaving at 10.00pm.”

HRCP suspects that the two suspects were “no ordinary thieves” and demanded the government apprehend them to establish their identity. The HRCP statement also read that it would hold provincial authorities responsible for any attempt by state or non-state actors to harass any people associated with the commission.

The annual report State of Human Rights in 2017, launched on April 16, painted a gloomy picture in Pakistan and disclosed some shocking facts and figures about human rights violation cases in the country last year.

The report revealed that more Pakistanis died in incidents described as ‘encounters’ than in gun violence or in suicide attacks last year.

Published in The Express Tribune, April 21^st, 2018.