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Karachi killings

AI points finger at govt

for grave HR violations

KARACHI: Every day a dozen deliberate and arbitrary killings are reported from Karachi in July the city's death toll was a staggering 279, according to an Amnesty International press release.

Against this backdrop of escalating violence, Amnesty International held the Government of Pakistan responsible for serious human rights violations committed in the context of concerted campaign for law and order in the city.

"The government is simply not doing enough to protect innocent citizens from targeted killings by armed opposition groups." Amnesty International said: "Armed opposition groups should respect minimum humanitarian standards, but if they don't the government should not use their violence as an excuse to commit torture of killings," it added.

In recent days, several people were reported to have been extrajudicial executed Farooq Putney and three other workers of the Mohajir Qaumi Movement (MQM) were shot dead on August 2 by police in what was described as an "encounter". Family members, however, claimed that the men were earlier arrested from their homes.

Every day, both party activists and citizens not involved in politics die as a result of targeted killings by armed groups few of whom are ever held to account dead bodies, blind-folded, with their hands bound, showing marks of torture or mutilation are often dumped in the streets of Karachi indicating torture as caused of death.

HUNDREDS ARRESTED

During police sweeps, hundreds of people were reportedly arrested in the last few weeks: some were blind-folded and beaten then released within a short period but an unknown number of people continue to be held.

Reports of arrests of family members of wanted persons belonging various political parties continue to be received. The victims are mainly family members of MQM activists, but families of members of other parties are reportedly affected as well.

RAIS FATIMA

Several people have reportedly "disappeared" in custody. These include Rais Fatima, a 26 year old MQM activist, who on June 4 in Karachi boarded a train for Lahore never to arrive there. Qamar Mansoor Siddiqui, a MQM parliamentarian who had accompanied her, also disappeared but on July 7 the Lahore High Court, hearing a habeas corpus petition, was told that Qamar had been arrested on June 20 by the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) on charges of sedition. Despite High Court orders, lawyers have not been given access to the prisoner in Adiala Jail in Rawalpind. Contact with Qamar could have thrown light on Rais Fatima's whereabout.

Other "disappeared" person include detained MQM workers who are often transferred to unknown prison locations. Three such prisoners, including an MQM senator, Zahid Akhtar, who had been secretly transferred from Peshawar jail to Rawalpindi's Adiala jail were later shown on TV confessing various acts of terrorism.

Amnesty International expressed fears that these detainess-kept during such periods of unacknowledged detention and before such "public confessions"-may be subjected to torture and ill-treatment it has called for an end to such practices.

'COLLUSION'

People who have spoken up against the alleged collusion of the government with a faction of the MQM-the MQM Haqiqi-have not been protected against threats and harassment. Farooq Sumar had in May accused the government of an "alliance with crime" by condoning the criminal activities of the Haqiqi group. On the basis of his complaint, the Home Ministry ordered the arrest of the Haqiqi leader, Afaq Ahmed Khan, which was reseinded upon the personal intervention by Sindh Chief Minister, Abdullah Shah.

The non-government Human Right Commission of Pakistan confirmed that Sumar and members of his family "face a serious threat to their lives and security". Nevertheless no protective steps were taken by either the federal or provincial government. Continued impunity enjoyed by armed political groups has emboldened them to further harass and threaten those who seek to stop them.

Amnesty International has urged the armed opposition groups to refrain from hostage-taking torture, and deliberate and arbitrary killings. The organization has also called on the government to set up independent and impartial inquiries into every single case of torture, death in custody and extrajudicial execution reported.

The press release said Amnesty International believes that all persons who are not charged with a recognizable criminal offence, such as relatives of wanted persons, should be immediately and unconditionally released. The government should also ensure that political prisoners held on criminal charges are treated in accordance with international standards for fair trial, granting them prompt and regular access to family, lawyers and appropriate medical attention. No one should be held in unacknowledged detention and subjected to torture."