SHAFAQNA PAKISTAN (Shia News Agency)
Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP) on Friday issued its report for the year 2014. The report states that 26 suicide blasts took place in the country while 70 lac 93 thousand cases are pending in courts, reported Local TV. The report, issued from Lahore, states that 70 lac 93 thousand cases are pending in courts while 4960 prisoners are being kept in 32 jails. Trials of 32514 prisoners are underway while only 17046 are convicted. According to report, 1126 minor children across the country are imprisoned, 764 of which are in Punjab, 313 in Sindh and 3 in Gilgit-Baltistan. The report states that there were 26 suicide bombings in 2014 and 210 people were killed as a result of sectarian killings. Courts also handed out 231 death penalties during the year 2014. According to report, Pakistan has been labeled as the most dangerous country for media. 14 journalists and cameraman have been killed while performing their duties. The report stated that Pakistan in 2014 witnessed surge in sectarian violence, attack on minorities, media censorship, and remained the worst polio-affected country. The report stated that no laws were made by the federal government to safeguard the interests of religious minorities. According to the report a total of 144 incidents of sectarian violence were reported from across the country, out of which 144 were sectarian-related terrorist attacks and three sectarian clashes. On freedom of thought the report stated that 11 Hindu temples and churches were attacked in Sindh, two attacks were carried out against the Zikri sect in Balochistan. The HRCP annual report said that Shia pilgrims’ buses passing through Balochistan and passenger buses and vans plying between Gilgit-Baltistan and the rest of the country had to travel in convoys under security escorts. According to HRCP research 37 cases were registered during the year for offences relating to religion. Seven of the cases were registered under Section 295-C of the Pakistan Penal Code that carries a mandatory sentence of death, while 1.793 million cases were pending in courts across the country. The annual report stated that major media issues surrounded allegedly “blasphemous” content. The media faced crippling fines and blanket bans on coverage forcing many outlets to practice self-censorship. The country recorded 627,116 cases of crimes against people and property during 2014 as against 634,404 in 2013 – a nominal fall. Sindh Police registered 1,261 cases of kidnapping of women for forced marriages in 2014. There were 114 cases of acid attacks in Pakistan, involving 159 victims, reports said. According to the report, 1,723 people were killed and 3,143 were injured during 2014 in 1,206 terrorist attacks – including 26 suicide hits. Sectarian violence killed 210 people, 45 members of polio teams — vaccinators and their facilitators —were killed. There were 3,392 encounters in 2014 as against 2,616 in 2013 in Sindh. 925 suspects were killed in shootouts and 160 personnel of police and Rangers fell in the line of duty in Karachi. Khyber Pakhtunkhwa police killed 26 persons in encounters. Punjab police killed 276 suspected criminals and arrested 322 while 27 policemen died and 59 suspected criminals and 73 policemen got injured in 283 encounters in 2014. While, 231 persons were sentenced to death by the courts. The government lifted the moratorium on executions in the last fortnight of 2014 and by the year-end seven persons had been hanged. On freedom of assembly report said that 14 persons were killed and several hundred injured when clashes erupted between the police and Pakistan Awami Tehreek (PAT) workers on June 16 while, Thousands of people, predominantly women and children, took to the streets in Panjgur, Balochistan to protest against closure of private schools under militants’ threats. As per the report, 134 political activists were killed in Karachi, the capital of Sindh province. Data on health and education is also very discouraging. Dire situation of hospitals, limited access to health services and education, polio, infant mortality rate – the state is falling short on all accounts. In the absence of institutions, infrastructure and will, it will continue to fail its citizens. This report shows a grim picture of human rights in Pakistan. It is duty of human rights groups and NGOs to work with government to address areas that still need to be focused.
pakistan.shafaqna.com
