Like the predecessor’s governments, the Pakistan Tehreek Insaf (PTI) has also repeatedly promised the nation to “reform the criminal justice system and provide speedy access to justice” for the common people. This slogan was not only pressed by the Prime Minister Mr Imran Khan in his first speech to the nation, but was part of […]
An exceptional judgment
In the previous month, Justice Athar Minallah of the Islamabad High Court (IHC) authored a landmark judgment in a case related to a “missing person” by the name of Sajid Mehmood. Through this valuable ruling, the court referred to many important questions related to the decade-long issue of enforced disappearances in Pakistan. This country has […]
Protecting human rights
Universal human rights can only be protected and promoted when the voices that struggle for this cause remain free from defects and compromises. Justice in cases of human rights abuses, moreover, can only be served if human rights violations are impartially investigated. For national human rights institutions (NHRIs), it is important to follow the Paris […]
Regulate private schools
After much hue and cry, the KP government finally passed the KP Private Schools Regulatory Authority (KPPSRA) Bill in June 2017. Today, after 10 months of the enactment of the law, the desired objectives have not been achieved. Although at different times, through the social media, people have pressed this important matter and criticised the […]
Demanding equal rights is not anti-state
The Pashtun Tahaffuz Movement (PTM) is a struggle for human rights; and supremacy of the law and constitution of Pakistan. This is something that those who label it as ‘anti-state’ or treacherous need to understand. If we look observe the recent past, the PTM was initially known as Mehsud Tahaffuz Movement (MTM), which was actively […]
‘Disappeared, not forgotten’
Today, the world is commemorating the International Day of the Victims of Enforced and Involuntary Disappearances, standing with the victims of enforced disappearance (ED), asking the Government of Pakistan to ratify the International Convention for the Protection of All Persons from Enforced Disappearance (ICPPED), specifically criminalise ED, bring the perpetrator of ED to justice and […]
Needed gender equality before the law
Article 25 of our Constitution underlines the equality of all citizens. It holds that ‘all citizens are equal before the law and are entitled to equal protection of law; there shall be no discrimination on the basis of sex’. Since February 1996, Pakistan is also a state party to the Convention on the Elimination of […]
Strengthening human rights institutions
The Paris Principles of December 1993, emphasise on the establishment of national institutions vested with competence to promote and protect human rights. These principles outline that these institutions shall be given as broad mandate as possible. Following these principles, Pakistan established its National Commission for Human Rights (NCHR) through the Act of the Parliament in […]
International obligations and Fatas governance
The compatibility of Action in Aid of Civil Power Regulations with Pakistan’s international human rights obligations will be discussed when implementation of the ICCPR is examined in July. Now is a good opportunity to repeal the AACPR and end its tyrannical hold in FATA Pakistan ratified the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights […]
Mainstreaming FATA women
Since Pakistan’s independence, the Federally Administered Tribal Areas have been governed by the Frontier Crimes Regulations (FCR) — considered a black law by human rights activists because it gives the political administration unlimited financial, executive and judicial powers. Unfortunately, FATA’s women are conspicuous by their absence in all areas of governance. An examination of the […]