WASHINGTON – Prominent Pakistani dissidents have welcomed the release of Ali Wazir, member of Parliament from Waziristan, and the decision of the anti-terrorism court to acquit the parents of activist Gulalai Ismail in a sedition and terrorism case while pointing out that Pakistan has a long way to go in ending injustice and violation of human rights.
In a statement, South Asians Against Terrorism and for Human Rights (SAATH), a grouping of prodemocracy Pakistanis, said that Ali Wazir’s release after twenty-six months in prison was a small step towards rectifying a massive injustice.
“Ali Wazir’s prolonged detention deprived his constituency of representation in the National Assembly and deprived a Pakistani citizen of his freedom for no crime other than expressing his views against state policies,” the SAATH statement said. It added the demand that all cases against Ali Wazir and other political activists wrongfully charged be dropped unconditionally.
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SAATH called upon the Pakistan government to “respect the right to freedom of expression and association and ensure that individuals are not persecuted for their political beliefs and dissent.”
Regarding the acquittal of Gulalai Ismail’s parents, SAATH said that “the case against them was an unprecedented punitive measure, rooted in the colonial canon of collective punishment, to punish Gulalai Ismail for her human rights activism. Their delayed acquittal has brought some justice to an unjust situation.”
The scholars, intellectuals, and activists in SAATH demanded the dropping of the cybercrime case against Gulalai’s father Muhammad Ismail and called for removal of his and his wife’s names from the Exit Control List (ECL). “These measures are necessary to ensure that Ismail’s family can live without fear of harassment and persecution,” the statement said.
SAATH advised the civilian government to “assert itself and defend the Constitution and human rights against the onslaught of unelected powers.”
“We demand that the government should take all necessary measures to protect the constitutionally guaranteed rights of citizens, including freedom of expression, assembly, and association. We urge that the Parliament of Pakistan release a comprehensive statement condemning the persecution of individuals who have been targeted for their political beliefs over the past several years,” the SAATH statement said.
SAATH demanded accounting for and releasing all missing persons and demanded that enforced disappearances be criminalized.
“We are concerned about the abduction and illegal detention of Mahal Baloch and condemn the policy of abducting Baloch women by security forces. We are also concerned about the abduction of Sindhi activist Majid Hyderi,” SAATH declared.
According to the SAATH statement, “A prosperous Pakistan is not possible without the government respecting the various nationalities within Pakistan and running the country as a true federation, in line with the Constitution and in accordance with internationally recognized human rights standards. Pakistan also needs end of terrorism and end of conflict with its neighbors.”
Prominent members of SAATH include former Senator Afrasiab Khattak, Member of Parliament Mohsin Dawar, former Ambassadors Husain Haqqani and Kamran Shafi, former editor of Daily Times Rashed Rahman, columnist Dr. Mohammed Taqi, journalists Taha Siddiqui, Gul Bukhari, and Marvi Sirmed, and activists Gulalai Ismail, Tahira Jabeen, Shahzad Irfan, and Farhan Kaghzi.
