Corporate report

Pakistan - in-year update December 2015

Published 21 April 2016

Serious and wide-ranging human rights concerns continued throughout the final six months of 2015. The death penalty was re-instated after the December 2014 terrorist attack on the Army Public School in Peshawar, leading to the execution over the year of an estimated 325 people. The use of military courts to try civilians accused of terrorist offences continued in the second half of 2015. These lack transparency and are not subject to independent scrutiny, making it impossible to assess their compliance with international obligations. There were ongoing concerns about the number of internally displaced persons and reports of extra-judicial killings by the security forces, as a result of the military operations in Pakistan’s Federally Administered Tribal Areas and elsewhere in the country under the National Action Plan.

In August, Shafqat Hussain was executed despite concerns over the conduct of his trial, allegations that he was a juvenile at the time of the crime, and that torture was used to obtain his confession. FCO Minister for Human Rights, Baroness Anelay, commented on the execution and drew attention to the EU statement. Another prisoner facing the death penalty, Abdul Basit, who contracted tubercular meningitis while in custody, and is now permanently disabled, was issued a further black warrant (meaning his execution was imminent). Although this was stayed once more, the Pakistani authorities have yet to explain adequately how they intend to execute him in a humane manner, given his condition. Concerns remain over other death-row prisoners with mental health issues such as Khizar Hayat.

Attacks against minority communities continued in the second half of the year, albeit at a lower level than in the first half of the year. Three members of the Hazara community were killed and three injured in July during a gun attack in Quetta. In October, a suicide bomber killed 22 and injured over 40 Shia Muslims in Jacobabad. Then in December over 25 people were killed and 62 injured when a bomb exploded in Parachinar in the Kurram tribal region. In November, a mob attacked and set fire to an Ahmadiyya place of worship and factory owned by a prominent Ahmadiyya businessman in Jhelum. Over the period, the Ahmadiyya continued to face restrictions on their ability to worship, vote, and obtain travel documents. Other minority communities also suffered discrimination and violence, including forced conversions to Islam and forced marriage. Reports suggested that the problem of Christian women being forcibly married to Muslim men continued to grow.

Pakistan’s blasphemy laws were misused against Muslims and non-Muslims alike, although minority communities were disproportionately affected. Asia Bibi, a Christian woman detained and sentenced to death under the blasphemy laws in 2009, was placed in solitary confinement following threats of violence from inmates and prison officials. In July, the Supreme Court suspended her sentence and granted leave to appeal to the Court. No date for a hearing was set. In October, the Supreme Court upheld the verdict on Mumtaz Qadri who was convicted of murdering Governor Salman Taseer, a vocal critic of the blasphemy laws.

There was no improvement in women’s rights in Pakistan between July and December. There were regular reports of so-called honour killings and violent acts against women. Effective representation of women in local and national government remained an issue, despite quotas. The failure to implement legislation and protection for women and girls at federal and provincial level continues to retard progress.

During 2015, the operating space for domestic and international NGOs narrowed considerably. This impeded their work. There remained considerable uncertainty pending the implementation of a new registration system.

The Pakistan media continued to face restrictions on its freedom to operate. In July it was reported that unidentified armed policemen detained and beat the Geo News Karachi Bureau Chief Faheem Ahmed Siddiqui. There was a spate of attacks on journalists toward the end of the year. One journalist and one media worker were killed and two wounded in separate attacks in September. Two journalists were killed in November.

Over the period, Pakistan took some positive steps. In November, Pakistani Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif stated publicly that all Pakistanis have equal rights and that he is prepared to take action against Muslim oppressors and side with the Hindu oppressed. The National Commission for Human Rights, originally proposed in 2008, started work in July, although by the end of the year was not yet fully operational. In November the human rights ministry was re-established. Pakistan also launched a Treaty Implementation Cell and human rights roadmap during this period.

The UK continued to press the Pakistan government to improve the human rights situation for all its citizens and comply in full with its international human rights commitments. At the highest level, the UK made clear its opposition to the death penalty, urging the government immediately to reinstate the moratorium on its use. On World Day Against the Death Penalty in October, FCO Minister for Pakistan, Tobias Ellwood, wrote to the Pakistani High Commissioner to the UK registering deep concern about ongoing executions in Pakistan. In August 2015, the Foreign Secretary raised concerns about religious freedom and human rights with Pakistan’s Interior Minister. In October, Mr Ellwood raised the persecution of the Ahmadiyya community with the Pakistani High Commissioner. Department for International Development Ministers also raised human rights issues at the highest levels of government in Pakistan. Pakistan remains a priority for UK development assistance, with programmes designed to improve human rights.