Daily Times

In unprecedented scenes, children and the elderly, men and women, journalists, academics and political workers all look towards the constitution for some relief as the police crackdown continues. While some have been released, there is no information available on the whereabouts of senior journalist Imran Riaz Khan. Former minister Yasmin Rashid and Senator Falak Naz continue to languish as reports of mistreatment of women with no regard for their privacy continue to hit headlines. Federal Minister Khwaja Asif’s condemnation of the highhandedness that did not differentiate between protestors and unarmed civilians sitting at home has had no effect whatsoever as PTI workers are being penalised on the basis of their party affiliations across Lahore. Human Rights Commission of Pakistan has expressed concern at “reports of random arrests and cases filed arbitrarily against PTI workers across Pakistan.” Distressing visuals of the likes of Usman Dar’s mother being harassed by the police authorities add credence to the fact that human rights do not amount to much in the midst of political battles.