Human rights forgotten in the election year: HRCP launches 2018 report - Press Release issued by Human Rights Commission of Pakistan.

Islamabad -- April 15, 2019 (PPI-OT)

Following is the text of press release issued by Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP)

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At the launch of its flagship annual report, State of Human Rights in 2018, the Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP) has noted that, 'in a year of general elections, it was inevitable perhaps that the progress and observation of human rights issues might be suspended, if not forgotten. The elections themselves were plagued by allegations of pre-poll manipulation and vote rigging - never fully resolved - and some appalling outbreaks of violence. Nonetheless, there were more women candidates for general seats in these elections than in any past election, and for the first time, transgender candidates contested the polls.'

In a statement issued today, HRCP has commented on 'the unprecedented level to which the fundamental right to freedom of expression was overtly violated, particularly in the run-up to the elections,' adding that 'in the guise of "national security concerns", restrictions on media coverage were stepped up, journalists took increasingly to self-censorship, the distribution of a national newspaper was severely curtailed, and a media blackout was imposed on coverage of certain events.

'2018 began with a horrifying crime against a six-year-old child, Zainab, and the relative speed with which the culprit was apprehended was in no small part due to the public outcry. The sentence handed down proved to be no deterrent - distressing reports of abuse and violence involving children continued to surface.

'The public conscience was assailed by reports of enforced disappearances, extrajudicial killings, the abuse and murder of children, violence towards women, child labour, religious intolerance, the persecution of minorities, and crimes committed in the name of "honour".

'Women, children and labour remained highly vulnerable. HRCP monitoring data showed at least 845 incidents of sexual violence against women, and 316 crimes in the name of 'honour' perpetrated against both men and women. In Thar, Sindh, 638 children died of malnutrition in 2018.

'Scores of mine workers lost their lives in deadly incidents in Balochistan and other provinces with no evidence of progress in the implementation of safety and health standards. In addition, an estimated 12 million children were...