HRCP concerned over threats to Gulalai Ismail's family

LAHORE: The HRCP is concerned over reports that activist Gulalai Ismail's family has been threatened, allegedly by state agencies, in connection with her work as a human rights defender.

In a press release, the HRCP has urged the state to investigate the recent raid on Ms Ismail’s house in Islamabad, reportedly by a large contingent of men in civilian clothes. A family member has claimed that their driver was forcibly taken away, interrogated and physically harmed. There are also worrying reports that the persons involved in this incident threatened to harm Ms Ismail’s younger sister if the former did not cease her work as an activist. Ms Ismail’s family has already been subjected to similar intimidation to the extent that she has had to severely curtail her activism. The state must protect civil society’s right to dissent by ensuring that the incident is investigated transparently and those involved, held accountable.