Rights activists vow to carry slain colleague’s torch
Friends, colleagues and civil society activists paid rich tributes to Zarteef Khan Afridi, a coordinator for the Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP), murdered this week in Khyber Agency, at a reference arranged by the Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa Civil Society Network and Aman Tehreek, a conglomerate of civil society organisations.
They unanimously demanded the government to provide security to rights activists working in conflict zones, besides announcing the creation of a Zarteef Afridi Human Rights Award for rights activists working in tribal areas.
Addressing the reference, friends and colleagues paid rich tributes to Zarteef for sacrificing his life fighting against the forces of darkness. They also asked the government to announce a national award for him.
HRCP council member Malik Jarar said they had offered to transfer Zarteef to Peshawar after he received death threats, but he refused to relocate. “Zarteef was a man with progressive vision and thinking. “We are clueless about a replacement. Such dedicated and selfless people are a rarity.”
South Asia Free Media Association (SAFMA) provincial chief Shamim Shahid recalled his first meeting with Afridi some 20 years back, when he appeared at an HRCP meeting and asked to join the organisation, because he wanted to work for HRCP and be a part of the struggle for human rights. “He sacrificed his life for peace and human rights and others will carry his legacy forward.”
Shahid Khattak, a rights activist associated with Talk for Peace International, said Zarteef was killed by forces of darkness for standing up against them.
Ijaz Durrani said the Khyber Agency Coordinator was very active in addressing human rights, women’s rights and children’s rights in one of the most difficult regions of the world. “Zarteef was working to bring about a change in social norms.”
The participants, including Zarteef’s son Nihal Afridi, later staged a protest against his murder in front of the Peshawar Press Club.
About 100 people gathered on Sher Shah Suri Road, chanting slogans denouncing his murder and demanding that the government provide security to human rights activists working in conflict zones.
Memorial services were also held for the slain human rights activist in other cities including the federal capital, where a candlelight vigil was held.
Published in The Express Tribune, December 11th, 2011.
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