‘State will protect citizens from torture’

Human Rights Minister Shireen Mazari says will criminalise the practice

ISLAMABAD: With an uproar online and in parts of the country over police brutality and excesses, the Federal Minister for Human Rights Shireen Mazari on Thursday reaffirmed the state’s commitment to protect citizens from torture and uphold their fundamental human rights.

She said this in a statement issued on Thursday to mark the International Day in Support of Victims of Torture.

“We are actively working towards strengthening legislation to effectively criminalise the practice – which violates our Constitution as well as our international commitments,” Mazari said while terming torture an ‘inhuman practice’.

“We also recognise the pervasive issue of the culture of police abuse, and are cognizant of the need for comprehensive police reforms to put an end to torture and extrajudicial killings,” she said.

On the efforts made by her ministry in this regard, Mazari said that they have initiated several sensitisation and awareness sessions with the police on a range of human rights-related issues. These include, among others, respecting the rights of women, children and people who are transgender.

Moreover, the minister said that the MoHR is dedicated to establishing human rights at the centre of the criminal justice system in the country.

“Last year, we worked on reforming and streamlining the mercy petition process for prisoners on death row,” she said, adding that in January 2019, the ministry had submitted a draft bill to the Law and Justice Ministry to criminalise enforced disappearances through an amendment in the Pakistan Penal Code.

“While the process of legislative and cultural reform is gradual, we are taking concrete steps towards ending the culture of impunity for these crimes,” she said

Minister Mazari also raised the issue of Kashmiris being oppressed in Indian Occupied Jammu and Kashmir, particularly with regards to the cruel treatment of women and the youth in custody. 

Published in The Express Tribune, June 26^th, 2020.