HRCP report sees reduction in violence

KARACHI: Human Rights Commission of Pakistan HRCP on Thursday launched its annual report on State of Human Rights in Pakistan at Karachi Press Club.

While addressing the launching ceremony Asad Iqbal Butt representative of HRCP said IGP Sindh claimed that 1800 accused were killed in police encounters but only 500 such cases were reported in media.

 It indicates that some invisible hands tempered this data, he said adding extrajudicial killing is a crime and it should be eliminated.

Dr Yahya Sahikh added that the report comments on legislations made by all provinces and national assembly administration of justice law and order situation, jail prisoners and disappearances, freedom of movement, freedom of thought, conscience, religion expression, assembly and association, political participation, state of women, children, labour, education, health, housing, environment and refugees.

He said that according to HRCP report 324 people were given death penalty in 2015 while another 8000 prisoners stayed on death row, 4612 peoples died due to violence and there were 40 decreases if compared to 7622 violence related deaths last year.

 He said anti  state violence dropped below 2008 levels 706 militant attacks took place in which 1,325 people including 619 civilians 348 security forces personnel 325 militants and 33 pro government volunteers were killed.

 HRCP report noted killing of 2 108 men and seven women in police encounters across the country 65 prisoners died in the country’s prisons 1.390 cases of enforced disappearance remained pending with the commission of inquiry.

Mr. Shaikh said that a positive change occurred that 65000 names were removed from the Exit Control List and there were 80 percent reductions in polio cases to 54 from 306 cases last year.

During 2015 as monitored by HRCP 939 women became victims of sexual violence, 279 of domestic violence, 143 women were attacked with acid or were set on fire, 833 women were kidnapped, 987 cases of honour crimes occurred in which 1096 female victims and 88 male out of which at least 170 were minors.

While 3,768 child abuse cases occurred 25 million children out of school and approximately 10 million child workers existed in Pakistan.

 According to HRCP report only 0.42 percent of GDP was spent on health and Pakistan have only 1,142 hospitals, 5,499 dispensaries, 5,438 basic health care units, 671 maternity and child health centers with only 175,223 doctors, 90,276 nurses and 118,041 hospital beds for a population of around 190 million.