Umer Wani
Washington D.C., May 18 2016: While, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaaf chief Imran Khan castigated Indian forces in a rally at Muzaffarabad saying that they are engaged in gross human rights violations in Jammu and Kashmir and he would forcefully raise the voice and plights of Kashmiris at international fora, Pakistan’s human rights lawyer and activist, Asma Jahnagir, who is also the recipient of Hilal-e-Imtiyaz, said that the Pakistani military does not want to see good relations growing between India and Pakistan.
Asma Jahangir was speaking at Hudson Institute, a think tank based in Washington D.C. discussed the country’s tumultuous social and political history and outlook for true democratic governance and the topic for the talk was: A Human Rights Perspective on Pakistan.
Calling the Pakistan as a military state, she said that the country’s actual decisions are made by the Army despite being an elected government in Pakistan. She cited the FATA as an example and said the region is being exclusively ruled by Pakistani Military.
Jahangir was sharing the dais with former ambassador of Pakistan to USA, Hussain Haqqani, who is now director for South and Central Asia at Hudson Institute. Haqqani was intermediating the conversation between Jahangir and participants. He said that 324 executions were held by the Pakistani government, and maximum among them were the ordinary people and not the hardcore terrorists.
Lambasting at the Pakistan Judiciary Jahangir said, neither Judiciary is independent nor having capacity with no integrity at all. Democracy in Pakistan suffers from enduring constraints. The country’s military and religious extremists wield disproportionate influence. Religious minorities face systematic discrimination, she added.
She further added that enforced disappearances continue to be carried out with impunity by the Pakistani forces, particularly in Baluchistan and the elected government of Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif faces serious challenges, including charges of corruption.
Meanwhile, the event was attended by various dignitaries including professors from George Washington University, non-profit organization heads from Pakistan, researchers, policy makers and others.
