continents were overwhelmingly military regimes that acted as “musclemen”.
“We have to see whether States are functioning in accordance with the law or not.”
Ali said the concept of “national security” was unacceptable. “As the law enforcement agencies do not hold legitimacy in accordance with law they use torture as a weapon,” he added.
He said state functionaries did not have the right to strip citizens and lash them. He recalled that during the upsurge against the military government of Gen Ayub Khan, the State had hired “goons” to beat up student activists. “But even that mafia in those days had some moral values,” he added.
“In our country torture has been practiced by every government,” Ali said. He noted that torture to extract information was practiced in the entire South Asia and regretted that India had yet to ratify the UN convention against torture.
“We don’t listen to argument; only torture is being practiced in Pakistan,” he lamented.
HRCP’s Asad Iqbal Butt said the UN convention against torture stated that a government official could not extract information through torture. “We are finding bodies of citizens who ‘disappeared’ from Balochistan and Sindh,” he added.
“It is also unlawful to hand over a citizen to any other country.”
Butt said there should be medical check-up of the person who had been arrested before they were remanded and after that period expired.
AHRC leader Hasan Abbas said his organisation was established in 1988 and it worked especially on the cases of forced disappearances and karo-kari.
He added that the AHRC had been lobbying with senators and legislators for the implementation of international conventions in Pakistan. “We have been working to bring a halt to physical and mental torture.”
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