Despite increasing violence, Balochistan hopeful of new govt: HRCP

Says abductions on the rise; women and minority groups live in perpetual fear.

QUETTA: The Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP) presented its initial observations and recommendations on Tuesday about the prevalent human rights situation in Balochistan, which it claimed had worsened since the killing of former governor and chief minister Nawab Akbar Khan Bugti.

A team comprising of HRCP members Asma Jahangir, Justice Malik Saeed Hassan, journalist Kamran Shafi, cultural critic and human rights activist Ghazi Salahuddin, researcher Nazish Brohi and HRCP editor Rafia Asim went to Balochistan on a fact-finding mission.

As part of their mission, the team met with various NGOs, members of political parties, lawyers, members of the press, ethnic and religious minority groups and officials present at the women's university whose students recently became victims of a suicide attack.

The preliminary report presented by the team observed that all those interviewed expressed hope in the new government but affirmed that there was no change in the security policy or the law and order situation.

The initial observations by the team noted that they had received reports about there being a pattern in terrorist attacks and attacks carried out by Baloch militant groups. The team however said they could not verify this.

It further noted that instances of abductions have risen and citizens live in constant fear, particularly minority groups and women. It said that there was a need for the new government to support the provincial government in its development.

As part of its recommendations, HRCP urged the government to appoint a human rights advisor so that the Chief Minister and the Cabinet remain cognizant of the human rights situation in the province.

The team stated that there were credible reports of continued grave human rights violations carried out by security forces and that they should operate within the Constitution and the law.

The security forces and the intelligence agencies will hurt the democratic process and alienate the people from the state if they continued with their oppressive policies, the report claimed.

It also urged the nationalist groups present in the province to cease their acts of violence.