Human Rights Archive
Pakistan: 2010 disastrous year for rights, HRW: The Taliban and other religious extremists in Pakistan increased their deadly attacks against civilians and public spaces during 2010, while the Pakistani government response was marred by serious human rights violations, Human Rights Watch maintained in its World Report
In support of Nasrin Sotoudeh: We condemn Iranian judiciary and mullahs for their decision to sentence prominent human rights lawyer Nasrin Sotoudeh to 11 years on flimsy charges (on the pretext of national security). It may be noted that not unlike GHQ’s influence on
Don’t take human rights lessons from Iran and Saudi Arabia – by Qudsia Siddiqui: This is in reference to “Kill the sectarian killers: Will Pakistan follow the Iranian example?” published by a fellow editor, Sarah Khan, on December 20, 2010. In her post, Sarah was giving the example of how Iran executed 11
Is China not an emerging imperialist power? – by Aamir Hussaini: In political dictionary definition of imperialism is the policy of extending a nation’s authority by territorial acquisition or by the establishment of economic and political hegemony over other nations. If we see role of government of China in our
LHC overstepped in barring Zardari from pardoning blasphemy-accused Christian: HRW: Related Article: Nawaz Sharif’s sectarian poodle in Lahore High Court stays Aasia bibi’s release The Lahore High Court’s order to bar President Asif Ali Zardari from pardoning Aasia Bibi, the Christian woman sentenced to death on charges of blasphemy,
International Day for the Abolition of Slavery and our slave women and childrens: The United Nations’ (UN) International Day for the Abolition of Slavery is annually observed on December 2 to remind people that modern slavery works against human rights. The day also encourages people to put meaning to the words of
The impact of blasphemy laws on human rights: The whole world is deeply shocked and concerned over Asia Bibi’s death sentence for blasphemy, issued by a local court in Pakistan. Concerned citizens and human rights activists say the case of Asia Bibi – the first woman to
Asma Jahangir awarded UN prize for promoting human rights: UNITED NATIONS: One of Pakistan’s leading human rights defenders, Asma Jahangir, was Tuesday named as this year’s winner of a UN award that recognizes outstanding individual contribution to promoting a culture of human rights around the world. The Director-General
Violation of Labour Laws in Pakistan – by Shaukat Masood Zafar: Under the 1973 Constitution labour is defined as a ‘concurrent subject’ making liable for implementation both the Federal and Provincial Governments. The Industrial Relations Ordinance makes provision for the appointment of a Collective Bargaining Agent (CBA) to determine the
Human rights, Islam and cultural argumentation — by Ishtiaq Ahmed: A distinction must be made between making an argument for universal, non-discriminatory and inclusive human rights with the help of some Islamic moral and ethical principles and, on the other hand, creating an argument for an Islamic package of
My enemy, my friend, my neighborer; let’s celebrate Disarmament Week, 24-30 October: “The United Nations stands today at a new Ground Zero — a “ground zero” for global disarmament, no longer a place of dread but of hope. Those who stand with us share the vision of a nuclear-free world. If
Kashmir Bleeds, Does Anyone Heed?- by Hafsa Khawaja: Befittingly termed once as ‘Heaven on Earth’, with millions martyred since the past 6 decades, thousands of half-widows, orphans and missing – Kashmir today is a Palestine-in-the-making of Asia. As the Kashmir intifada continues, anyone keeping a keen eye on
Frenzied mob mentality, By Farahnaz Ispahani: All Pakistanis should have their heads lowered in shame. We appear to be still medieval rather than part of the 21st century. At a time when we reach out to the international community for aid to help our citizens
Fatima Bhutto: please focus on fiction- by Nasima Zehra Awan: Pakistan may have lost a talented fiction writer when Fatima Bhutto went into journalism. Clearly, she is adept at spinning a tale, fudging facts and re-defining reality in a manner that is the exclusive domain of talented story tellers.
‘1,101 Baloch missing since 1992’ – report of the Baloch Unity Conference in Karachi: Around 1,101 Baloch have gone missing since 1992, a leader of the Baloch Unity Conference (BUC) Majeed Baloch said at a seminar on the Case of Missing Persons of Balochistan held at the Karachi Press Club on Tuesday. “This
Patriarchy isn’t Islam specific rather it is male specific! – by Aley Ahmad: Note: Adapted from a comment by the author on an LUBP post Patriarchy isn’t religion specific it has a number of socio-economic as well as historical reasons. The issue of commodification of women isn’t Islam specific, it’s prevalent in
Why is Pakistani media ignoring the situation in the Indian Occupied Kashmir?: پاکستانی اخبارات کشمیر کوّریج کم ہارون رشید بی بی سی اردو ڈاٹ کام، اسلام آباد کرفیو میں صحافیوں سمیت کسی کو بھی باہر آنے کی اجازت نہیں ہے۔ بھارت کے زیر انتظام کشمیر میں جاری احتجاج اور اس کے
Amendment in Political Parties Order 2002 for radical changes in electoral politics: Palwasha Zai Khan, a member of the PPP Human Rights Committee and also a member of the NA Foreign Affair Committee moved a private bill, seeking amendment to the Political Parties Order, 2002 to enable the middle class
An Ahmadi mother’s story – by Zaheeruddin Babar: ’دعائیں سن کر دل کو ڈھارس ہو رہی ہے‘ ظہیرالدین بابر بی بی سی اردو ڈاٹ کام، اسلام آباد انیسہ منور کی آنکھوں میں آنسو نہیں تھے لیکن کانپتے ہوئے ہاتھ اور لرزتی ہوئی آواز ان کے غم کو
Christians’ fears piqued over blasphemy accusations: Since the penal code of the country was amended, during General Zia’s regime in 1986, religious minorities in the country have been living in a state of fear and terror. Under the Blasphemy Law false cases have been brought
I never really cared for Ahmadis – by Fasi Zaka: I have never really been vocal about rights for Ahmadis, even privately, but my compassion trigger is easily pulled if there are atrocities against Pakistani Hindus and Christians. Part of this can be ascribed to my belief in the
Whiplash: Ziaist Islam takes hold in Pakistan – by Nadeem Paracha: A consensus across various academic and intellectual circles now states that violent entities such as the Pakistani Taliban and assorted sectarian organisations are the pitfalls of policies pursued by the state through its intelligence agencies to safeguard Pakistan’s ‘strategic’
Several perspectives on the FCR and FATA reform: It might be worthwhile to read two differing perspectives on the FCR and the FATA reform in order to come to an informed conclusion on a complicated issue that the government is likely to be dealing with in the
Who is facilitating fascism in Pakistan?: Source: Pakistan Media Watch Reading Nadeem Paracha’s column yesterday, I was immediately reminded of a video clip from Shahid Masood’s TV programme that was recently posted on the blog Let Us Build Pakistan. The clip features a conversation between Shahid Masood
The ‘Problem’ of Ahmadis in Pakistan – by Abbas Ather: Abbas Ather has written a series of articles on this topic (published in Express on 3-6 June 2010):
The reactionary republic – by Nadeem Paracha: Source: Dawn, 06 Jun, 2010 Here’s a question: How come whenever there’s a drone attack (in which most of those killed generally are extremists), or a case of perceived obscenity or blasphemy surfaces, street corners are at once filled
Ahmadiyya Movement in Islam: Heretic or a Scapegoat – by A Khokhar: For any humble citizen of Pakistan, religion may not be the criteria of one’s nationality, as Islam, a peace loving religion, teaches that ‘there is no compulsion in religion’ [2;256] and there should not occur any clash in understanding
Balochistan: a flawed policy – by Sanaullah Baloch: While remote-controlling the province via civil armed forces may breed more resentment and violence, support for apolitical tribal chiefs as an alternative against the popular Baloch leadership will solely promote corruption, bad governance and will lead to a harmful
There cannot be justice without freedom – by Imtiaz Baloch: There cannot be a human rights violation greater than the enslavement of a people. All the categories of rights and freedoms are lost or snatched away with a single stroke. Such is the plight of Baloch and other stateless
Plight of Pakistan’s informal workforce — by Syed Mohammad Ali: Given Pakistan’s currently tenuous economic and security situation, coupled with increasing unemployment, more women and children will join home-based work, which is not regulated and where remuneration is extremely low
Tirah massacre: insensitive state response — by Farhat Taj: The Pakistan army simply does not have the tradition to punish its rank and file, unless the aggrieved party is also from within the army Recently, Pakistan Air Force fighter planes bombed Sra Vella area in the Tirah Valley
Children as domestic workers — by Syed Mohammad Ali: Our parliamentarians need to show the will to act and bring domestic child labour within the ambit of the law. However, the fact that many of them also continue to employ children in their rural and urban homes is
From the Battle of Algiers to the Baloch Resistance – by Mir Mohammad Ali Talpur: Winning the Battle of Algiers If brutal crackdowns and search operations of suspected areas had any success in deterring people from struggling for their national, political, social and economic rights, Algeria would still have been a French colony Jeehamd
In defence of Punjabis: Stop target killing of Punjabi settlers in Balochistan – by Abdul Nishapuri: Update: Target killing of Professor Nazima Talib Mehdi: Shame on BLA terrorists. Where are your Baloch traditions? The Punjabi scapegoat It is common practice in the (so called) leftist and progressive circles of Pakistan to blame Punjab for all
How gay is being ‘gay’ in city? – by Andaleeb Rizvi: As Karachi continues to resonate with sparring political parties, sanctimonious religious outfits and bloodcurdling acts of terrorism in the post-Zia Pakistan, there is only one place where those who are ‘different’ could really be their own selves and get
Kill at least 10 Ahmadis a year: General Zia-ul-Haq’s legacy: While right wing jihadis and Taliban apologists in Pakistani media and politics are known for makings noises about real or perceived grievances of Muslims all over the world, they never seem to complain on Muslim on Muslim or Muslim
The Swat flogging video — by Samar Minallah: At a time when the entire country was under the threat of militants, I not only brought the attention of the country to this video but also condemned it at the risk of my own life. Much to the
Balochistan: Pakistan’s broken mirror – by Madiha Tahir: Source: The National – via Raza Rumi Baloch children hold up nationalist posters. Photographs by Asim Hafeez for The National Islamabad’s brutal attempts to crush ethnic Baloch nationalism have met with fierce, escalating resistance – and have laid bare the
Views on the constitutional review — by Peter Jacob: The review process has to foresee and incorporate a framework for social, legal and economic reforms. The part that seems to be missing as yet is, in fact, of immense importance for common Pakistanis. It concerns human rights Ever
647 women killed in the name of ‘honour’ last year: HRCP report: * HRCP report says 3,021 people killed, 7,334 injured across country * 1,668 suicide cases reported ISLAMABAD: The 2009 report of the Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP) released on Monday revealed that there was a sharp surge in