PAKISTAN: Rashid Rehman – the government is conspicuously avoiding an investigation into his brutal murder

Dear friends,

The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has received further information regarding the high profile and brutal assassination of the well known and respected human rights activist and lawyer, Rashid Rehman Khan. The government of Punjab has totally ignored the murder of a human rights defender and has not initiated any action that might lead to the arrest of the persons who threatened him. The district police of Multan have not filed a case against the killers whose names were mentioned by the deceased himself in a application to the district police officer in which he mentioned that if any harm comes to him the three persons named would be responsible. The police have not initiated any investigation into the case of the murder filed by the victim’s cousin. Nor have they contacted the three persons who threatened the victim before the judge that he would, “Not exist anymore”, if he continued to defend a university lecturer accused of blasphemy. 

It is alleged that the Federal Secretary of Law, Government of Pakistan, is the person who is creating hurdles for the investigation in order to save his cousin, Sajjad Chawan, a former Session Court judge, who was among the three persons who threatened the victim. 

The lawyers of the Multan High Court have received letters warning them they should not defend the case of any blasphemer otherwise they will face the same fate as that of Mr. Rehman.

The AHRC asks readers to sign the letters attached, asking the government to immediately constitute a commission of inquiry to probe the incident. The government must also be reminded to make amendments to the draconian blasphemy laws and punish the bigots who kill innocent persons in the guise of defending their religion. 

CASE NARRATIVE:

On 9 April, 2014, Rashid Rehman Khan, a lawyer and prominent human rights defender, was defending his client, a university lecturer accused of having committed blasphemy, when he was threatened in the hearing which took place inside the Central Jail, Multan before the Additional Sessions judge, Mr. Shahbaz Ali Paracha. During the proceedings, in the full hearing and sight of the judge, the prosecution lawyers, Zulfiqar Sindhu, Sajjad Chawan (brother in law of Mr. Zafarullah Khan, Federal Law Secretary) and two other complainants warned Mr. Rehman that from the next hearing he should not defend his client. Sindhu actually stated before the judge that Mr. Rehman would be eliminated. The trial judge remained silent in the face of this blatant threat to Mr. Rehman and took no steps to admonish Sindhu or the others who said, “You will not come to court next time because you will not exist anymore”.

The government, the courts and the police failed to provide any protection and security to Mr. Rehman, however, after his assassination there is now tight security and a large number of police officials on duty outside Mr. Rehman’s house where his Namaz e Janaza, the funeral rites, was offered and also outside the graveyard where he was interred. This appalling negligence shows the attitude of the government towards human rights defenders and citizens in general. 

Once again the state has communicated a clear message to the people that it will not to take any measures for the protection of living people but only provide lip-service security after their death.

Following the hearing at the Central Jail, Mr. Rehman informed the District Administration of Multan, Punjab, the District Police Officer, the judiciary and the bar associations of the country about the threats to his life, however, none of the persons or institutions he contacted took any action to safeguard his life. 

Mr. Rehman, in his last application stated that he had appeared in the court of Additional Session Judge Shahbaz Ali Paracha at the Central Jail Multan in the case titled State vs. Professor Junaid Hafiz as defense counsel. During the hearing, the public prosecutor brought ten irrelevant and unconcerned lawyers in his support which was against the rules and law. Mr. Rehman complained that the prison authorities did not take notice of the frequent entry of irrelevant people into the premises who took part in the trial without any legal authority. One person identified as Ayyub Mughal and some others repeatedly interfered in the proceedings. Mr. Rehman further said that Sajjad Chawan, on the behalf of the public prosecutor used derogatory remarks about Holy Prophet Muhammad (PBUH). When Mr. Rehman interrupted to stop them, death threats were hurled at him in the court. Mr. Rehman immediately lodged an oral complaint before the judge. He prayed in his application to the Chief Justice of the Lahore High Court Chief for protection and for legal action to be taken against the responsible persons. The final words of his application state: “If anything happens either as accident or as criminal act the responsible persons are Zulfiqar Ali Sindhu, Sajjad Chawan, Ayyub Mughal and the unknown person whose name is mentioned in the Central Jail entry book.”

On 10 April, through a statement, the Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP) brought to the attention of the authorities that Mr. Rehman had been openly threatened by prosecution lawyers in the Central Jail where he was representing an accused. The hearing was being held in the prison due to security concerns. In the report it was clearly mentioned that the judge did not take any notice of threats issued to Mr. Rehman in his presence. 

The Chief Police Officer, Multan, Sultan Ahmed Chaudhry, told the media that two unidentified people entered Mr. Rehman’s office in the upper storey of the building when he was discussing a case with another lawyer, Nadeem Parwaz. The assailants told him they wanted him to be a lawyer in a court marriage. After a detailed discussion they pretended to leave but without warning pulled out their weapons and opened fire. As a result of the shooting Mr. Rehman was killed instantly. The other lawyers, Nadeem Parwaz and Muhammad Afzal were injured. It is reported that the condition of Parwaz is serious but that Afazl is out of danger.

It is appalling that even now, the lawyers who threatened Mr. Rehman have not been arrested and no action has been taken against the judge for failing to admonish them. Instead pamphlets have been distributed which state that Mr. Rehman, “had met his rightful end”. The pamphlet went on the say, “We warn all lawyers to be afraid of God and think twice before engaging in such acts (of defending those accused of blasphemy)”.

This case is yet another example of the policy of appeasement of the government, judiciary, police and armed forces towards the religious fundamentalists who are a law unto themselves in Pakistan. 

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION:

Such incidents of the killings of human rights defenders continue with impunity and the indifferent attitudes of the successive governments who treat human rights defenders as the enemies of the country and even to Islam. Female human rights defenders are not even spared from assassinations and not a single attacker has ever been brought before a court of law. 

Please see the following statements by the AHRC: 

PAKISTAN: The Country has gone Mad, No Doubt
PAKISTAN: Prominent human rights defenders are targets of assassination
PAKISTAN: Shahzad Commission results marred by free ride for ISI
PAKISTAN: A female human rights defender is brutally murdered and the police attempt to pass it off as an honour killing
PAKISTAN: A second human rights defender is assassinated within two months from the same organization and area

The civil society and human rights organisations are continuously demanding from the governments to amend the blasphemy laws that have become a lethal weapon against the lawyers, journalists, academics, and human rights defenders and also for the society to curb the freedom of expression. The governments always use blasphemy laws as the best tool to punish the free and independent thinkers and have given a license to the non state actors to accuse any person with false charges of blasphemy. 

The blasphemy laws have taken the life of one former governor of Punjab, Mr. Salman Taseer and a former Federal Minister, Shahbaz Bhatti but even then the government ignored calls to review the blasphemy laws or make amendments to prevent the misuse of the law.

For further information please see:

PAKISTAN: Appeasement policy towards religious intolerance leads to murder of a governor
PAKISTAN: The brutal assassination of Minister Shahbaz Bhatti exposes the nexus between the security agencies and the Taliban

SUGGESTED ACTION:
Please write to the authorities listed below asking the government to immediately constitute a commission of inquiry to probe the incident. The government must also be reminded to make amendments to the draconian blasphemy laws and punish the bigots who kill innocent persons in the guise of defending their religion. Please also urge them to take action against the local administration, the Deputy Commissioner, the District Police Officer for their negligence which resulted in the killing of prominent lawyer and human rights defender.

The Supreme Judicial Council must immediately take action against the Additional Session Judge, Mr. Paracha for not following the law and allowing the killers to make open threats in his court. The Superintendent of the Central Jail, Multan, must be prosecuted for allowing irrelevant persons to attend the closed door hearing. 

The AHRC is writing separate letters to the Special Rapporteurs on the on the Situation of Human Rights Defenders and Extrajudicial, Summary, or Arbitrary Executions.

To support this case, please click here: SEND APPEAL LETTER