Whither justice?
THE challenge is to ensure bestial tragedies are remembered. Two cases of femicide, involving men from Pakistan’s privileged elite, had sent shockwaves through the country — Noor Mukadam in 2021 and Sarah Inam in 2022 became high-profile proof of gender-based violence being endemic in Pakistan. Burnt in memory as symbols of patriarchal atrocity, their killing forced multitudes to seek societal and legal reform. But Pakistan’s slain daughters still await justice. This was seen recently when their fathers held a press conference to appeal for justice. Noor Mukadam’s killer was sentenced to death twice last year after the Islamabad High Court sentenced him to capital punishment and upheld his punishment; the case is now in the apex court. Sarah Inam’s father said the “state should become a party against the murderer”. On Wednesday, the investigation officer of the Sarah Inam case testified that the accused had confessed to his crime. While this paper does not support the death penalty, delayed justice in the former of life sentence for murder equals exploitation.
Pakistan is not just one of the most dangerous countries for women, it is positively anti-women. It has failed to implement numerous international conventions. Earlier this year, UNFP reported 32pc of women in Pakistan have suffered cruelty. A UN Women report states that globally 45,000 women are killed by intimate partners and kin: over five murders per hour. But compiling a realistic account of incidents is difficult as the issue is underreported. Clearly, the horrors of Pakistan’s femicides exist on mass impunity and dismal conviction rates. Fast-tracking investigations and serving life imprisonment to convicts is the least the country can do to keep women alive. Aside from recruiting more women in senior cadres of police and the judiciary, laws must be used to strengthen protection. Until the men in the system and society join the battle to transform mindsets, there can be no justice for Noor and Sarah and others like them.
Published in Dawn, October 1st, 2023
A refuge no longer
SEPTEMBER has seen an alarming rise in the rounding up and detention of Afghan refugees. Pakistani authorities cite illegal immigration and rising crime as the reason behind the crackdown. However, even those with documentation — some 1.4m, according to the UNHCR, the refugee agency — are being taken away by police, community leaders say. Activists, offering a clearer picture, say that some of those rounded up had Proof of Registration cards and Afghan Citizenship Cards, but that these had expired. The recent uptick in arrests follows a rise in tensions between Afghanistan and Pakistan after the banned TTP carried out a cross-border attack on security check-posts in Chitral. So, are these refugees merely scapegoats, who are paying the price for geopolitical disputes and terror attacks that they are not responsible for? Are they being targeted simply because they are Afghan?
It is ironic that Pakistan frequently urges other nations to open their doors to refugees. Yet, the treatment meted out to refugees within its borders often seems incongruous with these pleas. Pakistan is not a signatory to the 1951 Geneva Convention. Instead, it operates under the Foreigners Act, which empowers the authorities to arrest, hold, and deport foreigners, including refugees and asylum seekers, who do not possess valid documentation. While the authorities must root out criminal elements and prevent illegal immigration, this broad-brush approach is problematic on two counts: first, it tarnishes Pakistan’s global image, and second, it alienates a community that has sought shelter on our land for decades. There are a number of ways to deal with this. The authorities must ensure transparency regarding their operations; these must be based on evidence, not prejudice. Secondly, the Foreigners Act must be re-evaluated to include a more humanitarian approach to dealing with refugees, in line with international norms. Thirdly, Islamabad and Kabul would do well to engage in constructive dialogue and arrive at solutions that address the root cause behind continued tensions so that the refugees can be spared unjust scrutiny. And lastly, but perhaps most importantly, the basic human rights of the Afghans should be respected, regardless of documentation status. While national security is paramount, it must not come at the cost of human lives, and a tarnished international reputation. A balanced, compassionate and evidence-based approach is the need of the hour.
Published in Dawn, October 1st, 2023
Massacre again
A DAY of celebration turned into a bloodbath in Mastung and Hangu, as terrorists attacked an Eid Miladun Nabi event in the Balochistan town and Friday prayers in the KP city.
At the time these lines were being written, no group had claimed responsibility, while the interim interior minister had claimed that Indian intelligence was involved.
Over 55 victims perished as a suicide bomber struck the Milad event in Mastung, while five victims were reported dead in the Hangu incident, also believed to be a suicide attack.
Up till a decade ago, Balochistan, specifically Quetta and Mastung, was in the grip of intense sectarian militancy carried out by Lashkar-i-Jhangvi. Mass casualty attacks occurred in the provincial capital, while buses carrying Shia pilgrims were raided by LJ terrorists in Mastung on multiple occasions.
Earlier, in 2006, LJ militants had bombed a Milad gathering in Karachi’s Nishtar Park, wiping out much of the Sunni Tehreek leadership. However, where Balochistan is concerned, LJ’s activities have come down considerably, and there’s a strong possibility of other militant groups, such as the IS-K, being involved.
In fact, many experts believe that many of LJ’s cadres have been absorbed by IS-K, which is active across the region. It was only last month that the authorities had claimed they had gunned down an IS-K ‘commander’ in Mastung.
This individual had reportedly been involved in several terrorist acts in Balochistan. As for Hangu, while the area has also witnessed sectarian bloodshed in the past, this time the mosque that was attacked was inside a police station.
Other parts of KP have also been experiencing militant violence carried out by the TTP — which has distanced itself from the latest attacks — and its offshoots, as well as IS-K.
Balochistan’s security situation over the past few decades has ignited apprehension, with the presence of both separatist and religiously inspired militancy.
A return to the bloodletting of old, despite the massive security footprint in the province, should be a matter of great concern. The state needs to deploy all the resources at its disposal to neutralise terrorists in Balochistan and, indeed, the rest of the country.
If this monster is not vanquished at this stage, it will create a security nightmare of significant proportions. KP and the former tribal districts also need to be protected from the blood-soaked assaults of the TTP and like-minded terrorist groups.
Instead of indulging in extracurricular activities, the security establishment must focus on an effective counterterrorism strategy to uproot militant networks in the country.
Peace is essential for free and fair elections, and militant actors will try to derail a smooth transition from a caretaker set-up to an elected government. Therefore, the caretaker administration must devote all its energies to ensuring peaceful polls, and checking the militant menace.
Published in Dawn, October 1st, 2023