UN Committee raises alarm over tortures in Pakistan; cites detention of former PM Imran Khan, political activist Mahrang Baloch

Switzerland [Geneva], May 2 : The UN Committee against Torture (CAT) has raised serious concern regarding the degrading condition of human rights in Pakistan, and the torture, arbitrary detention and reprisals against political figures and rights activists in the country.

In a statement it was noted that the Committee expressed its concern about the situation of former Prime Minister Imran Khan and Idris Khattak, whose arbitrary detentions were confirmed by the United Nations Working Group on Arbitrary Detention, as well as of Bushra Bibi, Ali Wazir and Mahrang Baloch. It recommended that the State party review the situation of all persons who had allegedly been detained and imprisoned on political grounds or in retaliation for their work and ensure that they had access to adequate medical care while detained.

As per the statement, the Committee pressed Pakistan to take the measures necessary to ensure that human rights defenders, civil society activists, journalists, lawyers, political opponents, protesters and other critics of the Government were adequately protected from torture and ill-treatment and other forms of reprisals, that those responsible for such acts were brought to justice, and that victims or their families were provided with effective remedies.

It also called Islamabad to review the situation of all persons who had allegedly been detained and imprisoned on political grounds or in retaliation for their work, including former Prime Minister Imran Khan, and ensure that they had access to adequate medical care while detained.

The Committee also raised concern about reports according to which human rights defenders, civil society activists, journalists, lawyers, political opponents, protesters and other critics of the Government, as well as their family members, had been subjected to torture and ill-treatment and other forms of retaliation, such as intimidation, threats, harassment, physical attacks, excessive use of force, arbitrary arrest and detention, prosecution on trumped up and politically motivated charges, including before military courts, enforced disappearance and extrajudicial execution.

The UN Committee also expressed its deep concern about the deportation of large numbers of Afghan nationals, including children, to that country following the adoption of the Illegal Foreigners' Repatriation Plan on 26 September 2023, without any individual assessment of their protection needs and risks of refoulement.

It called on Pakistan to consider repealing or reviewing the Plan and to investigate all allegations of police abuse against Afghans and other actions by public authorities undertaken for the purpose of coercing them to return to their country of origin, despite the real risk of torture they faced, and discipline or criminally sanction those responsible for such abuse.

The statement urged Pakistan to take the measures necessary to ensure that these persons were adequately protected from torture and ill-treatment and other forms of reprisals, that all human rights violations perpetrated against them were thoroughly investigated, that those responsible were brought to justice and that victims or their families were provided with effective remedies.

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