ALRC-CWS-07-007-2015 March 04, 2015 A written submission to the UN Human Rights Council by the Asian Legal Resource Centre PAKISTAN: Government must guarantee fundamental right of freedom of religion to all 1. The Asian Legal Resource Centre (ALRC) wishes to bring to the attention of the UN Human Rights Council the deteriorating state of freedom of religion, belief, and faith in Pakistan. An increasing number of minority families are being forced to flee Pakistan. Minorities, especially Christians, Hindus, and Ahmadis, are being subjected to mass violence, terrorist acts, and abuse of blasphemy laws. 2. While fleeing Christians, Ahmadis, and even Shias have ended up in various states of South and […]
Category: Pakistan
PAKISTAN: An attack on independence of judiciary and right to fair trial
ALRC-CWS-28-004-2015 March 03, 2015 A written submission to the UN Human Rights Council by the Asian Legal Resource Centre PAKISTAN: An attack on independence of judiciary and right to fair trial 1. The Asian Legal Resource Centre (ALRC) wishes to bring to the attention of the UN Human Rights Council the supra-constitutional arrangement that has established military courts and is depriving the people of Pakistan their right to fair trial. 2. Following the gruesome massacre of children at the Army Public School in Peshawar on 16th December 2014, under military pressure, the government lifted the moratorium on death sentences and rapidly pushed through the 21st Constitution Amendment, establishing military courts […]
PAKISTAN: An attack on independence of judiciary and right to fair trial
ALRC-CWS-28-004-2015 March 03, 2015 A written submission to the UN Human Rights Council by the Asian Legal Resource Centre PAKISTAN: An attack on independence of judiciary and right to fair trial 1. The Asian Legal Resource Centre (ALRC) wishes to bring to the attention of the UN Human Rights Council the supra-constitutional arrangement that has established military courts and is depriving the people of Pakistan their right to fair trial. 2. Following the gruesome massacre of children at the Army Public School in Peshawar on 16th December 2014, under military pressure, the government lifted the moratorium on death sentences and rapidly pushed through the 21st Constitution Amendment, establishing military courts […]
PAKISTAN: A call for an immediate intervention to stop extrajudicial killings
ALRC-CWS-27-10-2014 September 4, 2014 HUMAN RIGHTS COUNCIL Twenty seventh session, Agenda Item 3, General Debate A written submission to the UN Human Rights Council by the Asian Legal Resource Centre PAKISTAN: A call for an immediate intervention to stop extrajudicial killings 1. Extra judicial killings have become rampant in Pakistan; they are being executed with impunity and are rarely tried in Courts. The Asian Legal Resource Centre (ALRC) continues to document hundreds of cases of extra-judicial killings in Pakistan, which are generally accompanied by absolute impunity, due to the lack of investigations and prosecutions. The rampant killings, the lack of effective actions to neither punish them nor provide redress to […]
PAKISTAN: End slavery and bonded labour
ALRC-CWS-27-07-2014 September 3, 2014 HUMAN RIGHTS COUNCIL Twenty seventh session, Agenda Item 3, General Debate A written submission to the UN Human Rights Council by the Asian Legal Resource Centre PAKISTAN: End slavery and bonded labour 1. Pakistan’s constitution expressly prohibits all forms of slavery and forced labour. Article 11 deems slavery non-existent and forbidden; no law shall permit nor facilitate its introduction in Pakistan in any form; it prohibits all forms of forced labour and trafficking of human beings and the employment of children below the age of fourteen years in any factory, mine or in any form of other hazardous employment. The International Covenant on Civil and Political […]
PAKISTAN: The violence against women is continue to be rampant in spite of progressive laws
ALRC-CWS-26-09-2014 June 4, 2014 HUMAN RIGHTS COUNCIL Twenty sixth session, Agenda Item 3, General Debates A written submission to the UN Human Rights Council by the Asian Legal Resource Centre PAKISTAN: The violence against women is continue to be rampant in spite of progressive laws 1. Despite some pro-women laws introduced by the previous Pakistan Peoples’ Party (PPP) government, there is no rest or respite in the chronic oppression against women in Pakistan. The true implementation of these laws in letter and spirit still remains a real challenge for the state, law and justice departments. Women are facing spectacularly high rates of discrimination and multiple forms of violence. Crimes like […]
PAKISTAN: The international community must pursue the government of Pakistan to ensure the safety and security of journalists
ALRC-CWS-26-03-2014 May 30, 2014 HUMAN RIGHTS COUNCIL Twenty sixth session, Agenda Item 3, Panel Discussion on the Safety of Journalists A written submission to the UN Human Rights Council by the Asian Legal Resource Centre PAKISTAN: The international community must pursue the government of Pakistan to ensure the safety and security of journalists 1. As a member of the United Nations, Pakistan has obligations to ensure the equal enjoyment by all people within its territory of the personal and advocacy rights protected by the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR) and the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR). Discharge of these obligations entails the right to Freedom of […]
PAKISTAN: Disappearances
ALRC-CWS-25-17-2014 February 28, 2014 HUMAN RIGHTS COUNCIL Twenty fifth session, Agenda Item 4, General Debate A written submission to the UN Human Rights Council by the Asian Legal Resource Centre PAKISTAN: Disappearances 1. Balochistan province, at this moment in time, may be said to be the place in the world where the largest number of enforced disappearances take place. The Supreme Court of Pakistan and several High Courts have recognised the high level of disappearances that take place in the province. However, neither the courts nor the government have been able to take any effective steps to stop the practice of enforced disappearances or even to bring down the numbers […]
PAKISTAN: Government must commute death sentences and protect the people’s right to life
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE August 29, 2013 ALRC-CWS-24-01-2013 Language(s): English only HUMAN RIGHTS COUNCIL Twenty-fourth session, Agenda Item 3, General Debate A written statement submitted by the Asian Legal Resource Centre (ALRC), a non-governmental organisation with general consultative status PAKISTAN: Government must commute death sentences and protect the people’s right to life 1. The new Pakistani government under the Pakistan Muslim League –Nawaz, is moving into office in September and is set to commence killing death row inmates within the next week, despite pleas by the international community to stay the death penalty. 400 inmates are set to be executed by the end of 2013. Critics of the PML-N fear that […]
PAKISTAN: Pakistanis facing beheading in Saudi Arabia need immediate UN intervention
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE September 6, 2013 ALRC-CWS-24-07-2013 Language(s): English only HUMAN RIGHTS COUNCIL Twenty-fourth session, Agenda Item 4, General Debate A written statement submitted by the Asian Legal Resource Centre (ALRC), a non-governmental organisation with general consultative status PAKISTAN: Pakistanis facing beheading in Saudi Arabia need immediate UN intervention 1. In view of the discussion on human rights, which is due to be held during the month of September 2013, the Asian Legal Resource Centre (ALRC) would like to direct the attention of the Human Rights Council (HRC) to denial of justice and fair trail being faced by several young Pakistanis detained in Saudi Arabia. 2. Some of young men […]