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Amnesty: Human Rights Deteriorating in Pakistan

Ayesha Tanzeem

   ISLAMABAD - Human rights watchdog Amnesty International, in its
   [1]annual report for Asia for 2019, has accused Pakistan of
   intensifying its crackdown on human rights, including a clampdown on
   freedom of expression, failure to control harassment of ethnic and
   religious minorities, and continuation of a policy of enforced
   disappearances against its citizens.

   "It has become increasingly difficult to fight for human rights in
   Pakistan at a time when the authorities continue to forcibly disappear
   people, censor journalists, crack down on peaceful demonstrations and
   enforce repression through draconian laws," said Omar Waraich, deputy
   South Asia director at Amnesty International on Thursday.

   The country has faced similar criticism from other rights groups, both
   national and international.

   "Pakistan's government intensified its clampdown on the media,
   political opposition, and nongovernmental organizations in 2019," the
   group Human Rights Watch said in its World Report 2020 earlier this
   month.

   Saifur Rehman, an elected member of the National Assembly from the
   ruling party Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaaf, who also serves on its human
   rights committee, challenged these allegations and said rights have
   improved under the current administration.

   "It's a country of 220 million people so some things are bound to
   happen; however, the situation has improved from before," he said,
   adding that the country suffered from lack of resources so it should
   not be compared to the situation in developed countries.

References

   1. https://www.amnesty.org/en/countries/asia-and-the-pacific/pakistan/report-pakistan/

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