Govt urged to address 'human rights crises'

The Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP) and other civil society representatives urged the government on Thursday to address the "human rights crises" prevailing in the country, including the clampdowns on protesters and the misuse of blasphemy and cybercrime laws.

Speaking at a press conference in Karachi, according to a press release, HRCP Chairperson Asad Butt and others highlighted "multiple human rights crises across the country", including suppression of dissent by force, restrictions on press freedom and a growing influence of the establishment over governance.

"The short-term enforced disappearance of journalists and rights activists is now significant cause for alarm," the press release said, adding that the establishment's alleged role in politics had "snowballed at the cost of democratic governance". They said that allegations of political interference in the judiciary had shaken public confidence in the legal system.