Amend or repeal NAB laws demands Human Rights Watch
HRW urged the government to stop using NAB to intimidate and harass opponents
HRW said
that the government should follow up on the 87-page detailed verdict of the
Supreme Court of Pakistan on the Khawaja brother’s case to rein in the
anti-graft body. Pakistan’s parliament should carry out urgent reforms to make
the anti-corruption body independent, the Human Rights Watch said.
"The
court granted the men bail and criticised the NAB for showing 'utter disregard
to the law, fair play, equity and propriety,' ruling that the 'case was a
classic example of trampling of fundamental rights [and] unlawful deprivation
of freedom'," read a statement from the HRW.
Referring to
the judgment, Brad Adams, Asia director at Human Rights Watch, said that the
apex court's decision "is just the latest indictment of the NAB’s unlawful
behaviour".
Pakistan’s
parliament should carry out urgent reforms to make the anti-corruption body
independent, the Human Rights Watch said.
"In its
decision, the Supreme Court also expressed concern about the use of the NAB as
an instrument to target government opponents," read the statement by the
HRW. "The court cited a February report by the European Commission that
criticized the NAB for bias, noting that 'very few cases of the ruling party
ministers and politicians have been pursued since the 2018 elections, which is
considered to be a reflection of NAB's partiality,'" it added.
"In
February, both bodies said they 'strongly condemn' the summons issued to an
opposition leader, Bilawal Bhutto, calling it an 'act of political
victimisation,' said the HRW. "In March, the chief justice of the
Islamabad High Court ruled that the NAB had made arbitrary use of its arrest
powers," it added.
HRW has
pointed out that NAB was created by an ordinance during the General Musharraf
era and that it gave the anti-graft body "unchecked powers of arrest, investigation,
and prosecution.” It pointed out how, as per the ordinance, authorities may
detain people arrested for up to 90 days without charge.
It quoted
the Supreme Court's comments on NAB’s arbitrary use of powers of arrest, noting
that an arrest “has to be justified.… The power of arrest should not be
deployed as a tool of oppression and harassment.”
"The
National Accountability Bureau arrested Mir Shakil-Ur-Rehman, editor-in-chief
of the Jang group, the largest media group in Pakistan, in Lahore on March 12
on charges relating to a 34-year-old property transaction. He has remained in
the agency’s custody ever since," said the human rights organisation.
The
international human rights body spoke of former president Asif Ali Zardari, who
had to appear in person after the anti-graft body denied his request to record
a statement through a video link because of his ill-health and the prevalent
COVID-19 situation in the country.
"Zardari
previously spent 11 years in prison – more than half in NAB custody – without a
conviction," it said.
The HRW cited the example of Mian Javed Ahmed, a professor of the University of Sargodha, who died in NAB’s custody in December 2018. It quoted Dr. Mujahid Kamran, the former vice-chancellor of the Punjab University, who was also arrested by NAB on allegations of illegal appointments at the university, saying that NAB's detention centres were like torture cells.
In the
concluding statement, Adams called on the government to either amend or repeal
the NAB ordinance to ensure principles of fair trial, due process, and
transparency were not compromised.
“Pakistani
authorities should uphold the government’s human rights obligations,” Adams
said. “Pakistan’s parliament should amend or repeal the NAB ordinance to ensure
that the principles of fair trial, due process, and transparency are not
compromised on the pretext of accountability.”
Naila Chaudhry
All humen Right bodies quites are stooge of Upper class,this all hue & cry is for the vested interest.
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