The opening quote by Peshawar High Court lawyer Ghulam Nabi sums up a scathing Amnesty International report, released on Thursday, which accuses the Pakistan military of rights abuses on the Afghan border, using new security laws and a colonial-era penal system to act with impunity.
As expected, the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) refuted the allegations and termed the Amnesty report a pack of lies and part of sinister propaganda campaign against Pakistan and its armed forces.
“It is a biased report based on fabricated stories twisted to serve an agenda,” said an ISPR spokesperson.
In its report, Amnesty International said that lack of justice was fuelling a rights crisis in the semi-autonomous region where Taliban and al Qaeda-linked violence is concentrated.
Pakistan’s armed forces have arbitrarily detained thousands for long periods with little or no access to due process, said the report, based on interviews with victims, witnesses, relatives, lawyers, officials and militants.
“Almost every week the bodies of those arrested by the armed forces are being returned to their families or reportedly found dumped across the tribal areas,” said Amnesty’s deputy Asia-Pacific director Polly Truscott.
“The government must immediately reform the deeply flawed legal system in the tribal areas that perpetuates the cycle of violence,” she added, referring to the draconian Frontier Crimes Regulation (FCR) legal system in place there.
Although judges have sought to investigate the fate of people who go missing, Amnesty said no military personnel had been prosecuted for alleged torture, enforced disappearance or deaths in custody.
Published in The Express Tribune, December 14th, 2012.
COMMENTS (6)
Comments are moderated and generally will be posted if they are on-topic and not abusive.
For more information, please see our Comments FAQ
1714024018-0/ModiLara-(1)1714024018-0-270x192.webp)
This 'bias' accusation will not stick (ironically also made by Israel's govt and IDF). Its lame and dishonest, covering up one's own culpability. Name ONE wrong in their approach or findings. A simple search dispels the ignorant resentful conspiratorial deflection that a global NGO doesn't criticize Pak's hated trinity of India/Israel/US. India/Kashmir, CIA/Euro torture, Israel/West Bank, Drones/Abbottabad
Yes, AI has an agenda: to condemn abuses wherever globally, including drone victims. Will such Pakistanis now acknowledge and condemn abuses by the Pak state against other citizens? Be accountable instead of showing defensive reactionary hypocrisy, making deluded excuses against evidenced criticism.
The report says which PHC judge agrees "Pakistan’s armed forces have arbitrarily detained thousands for long periods with little or no access to due process, said the report, based on interviews with victims, witnesses, relatives, lawyers, officials and militants. “Almost every week the bodies of those arrested by the armed forces are being returned to their families or reportedly found dumped across the tribal areas,” Yet we are more worried and angry about the Gitmo prisioners not our country!
Pak army has taken oath to safe guard the sovereignity and integrity of the nation . The sovereignity has been lost and now integrity is being threatened . The main facter responsible for such humiliation to the army are those who are bearing illeagal arms .Therefore army should come forward to disarm them at the earliest otherwise the existance of the country will be on stake . Gen. Musarraf has taken a bold step through Red Star operation in this regard . Such operation should continue wherever is required with no discrimination .
What agenda is that? Does anyone really believe that Amnesty International is out to get Pakistan military?
There is no doubt that discriminatary laws like FCR and Political Agent system in FATA is not commensurate with today's civilezed justice and governance systems and needs to be abolished. The courts are taking due notice of missing persons and unlawful acts by security agencies including army. Howsever rights goups like Amnesty International are mostly biased in their approach and findings. What about the human atrocities committed by indian forces in Kashmir, by Israel in Gaza, by US in Afghanistan,Iraq and other parts of the world including masscre of thounsands of innoncent peope in pakistan by drone attacks. Amensty must condemn these countries for their inhuman acts and terriorism with the same force to show its neutrality and un biasedness.