Today, August 14, 2007 the Islamic Republic of Pakistan celebrates the 60th anniversary of its independence from the British empire and separation from India. For more than half of Pakistans existence as an independent homeland it has been ruled by the armed forces who have worked to undermine the evolution of the political system in the country. A nation without direction from its birth, the State has become a rogue because of the continuous interference from the army.
While Pakistan is celebrating its independence it does so in the knowledge that the United States of America has threatened to defy its air space and strike at suspected terrorist targets along the border with Afghanistan. Apart from the threat from the USA, NATO forces have also threatened to follow the terrorists into Pakistan. Despite the fact that Pakistan is a sovereign state, as stated by the government, American President, George Bush has not ruled out military strikes on Pakistani soil. It is the countrys foreign debt that makes it so vulnerable to the influence and pressure of external powers. It is said that every unborn child will have to pay Rs 1,500/= as a fine before coming to into the world in payment of the interest of the countrys loans.
Up until July 20, 2007 there was a good nexus among the Armed forces, lead by the Pakistan army, and the civil servants, generally known as bureaucrats and the judiciary. However, this nexus opposed the civilian set up in the country whenever the political forces and peoples movements tried to assert themselves. A political class, from feudal and tribal background, served this nexus to sabotage the fundamental rights of the people and take control of the national resources. After July 20, 2007, the judiciary and legal community asserted themselves and won a major victory over military and bureaucratic powers. However, even after the heroic struggle of the lawyers which lead to the restoration of Chief Justice, Mr. Iftikhar M. Chaudhry, the complete restoration of democracy and fundamental human rights, supremacy of the rule of law and judiciary, abolition of black laws and reforms in policing system have a long road to travel.
Therefore, Pakistan is celebrating its Independence Day at a time when there is still a strong military rule, in which a general, who has been ruling the country for eight years after dismissing the civilian government, is insisting on another five years in office and the right to wear his military uniform. Though fundamental rights have been restored with the restoration of parliament, these rights are denied by the powerful ruling elite. Policy decisions are made by a group of five star generals, known as the Corps Commanders and the cabinet has little choice but to approve these decisions. The parliament, National Assembly and Senate, are virtually rubber stamp institutions that generally approve the Ordinances which are issued by the military dressed president in the absence of parliamentary sessions.
Pakistan is celebrating its Independence Day despite the fact that a military operation has been going on since 2001 in the southern province of Balochistan. The army and air force are bombarding the civilian population and have, to-date, killed more than 3000 people along with several political activists including a former chief minister and tribal leader, Mr. Akbar Bugti. More than 5,000 people have been arrested including another former chief minister, Mr. Akhter Mengal. Several hundred people are missing after their arrest by the state intelligence agencies. The civilian government has no control over the province and Balochistan is controlled by Quetta Cantonment (military installation), situated in capital city of the province. Instead it is the army who has their check posts on all the highways that control the area and ensure that the natural resources are out of the reach of the local population and even the local government.
Pakistan celebrates its Independence Day at a time when the war on terror has made every citizen a suspected terrorist. In the northern part of the province, the North West Frontier Province (NWFP), people are being arrested, disappeared and killed through massive military actions on the pretext of the war on terror. Disappearances after arrests have become a common phenomenon after the 9/11 incident of 2001 throughout the country. More than 4000 persons have been disappeared or kept incommunicado, their whereabouts remain unknown. The state agencies particularly ISI and Military intelligence have the power to arrest without producing anyone before a court of law. Every city has cantonment installations where there are torture cells and persons arrested by the military go through these torture cells. Torture in custody is increasing every year. People generally do not report torture by the police because of police brutality. In 2005 about 1,200 cases of torture were reported, in 2006, 1,319 cases were reported and during the 1st half of 2007, 1,100 cases have already been reported. Torture in custody to obtain confessions has become a common practice. However, these figures are only the reported cases and it is believed that the actual figure is probably twice as high. Sadly, the lower judiciary works in connivance with the police to extract money on the basis of confessional statements. There are cases of torture where the penis of a detainee was severed, in another lime water was poured into a mans anus and in yet another eight arrested persons were forced to act like dogs and bite each other.
Pakistan celebrates its Independence Day at a time when women remain the more vulnerable group in society and do not have equal rights; they are still threatened by the Hadood Law. Nothing changed after the introduction of new family law by the Generals government in November 2006 and more than 1,000 women have been killed on the pretext of honor killing. The instance of rape remains high and more than 3,000 cases, including gang rape have been reported throughout the country. No equal opportunity of employment is provided. Religious violence is also endemic in the country and there is a struggle for the creation of a separate Islamic home land. Sectarian violence accounts for more than 500 deaths a year, mainly Shia and Sunni and also those who base their beliefs on the Brelvi and Deubandi schools of thought. Bomb attacks on mosques of different sects are also very common and happen on religious dates.
Pakistan celebrates its Independence Day despite the fact that the minorities, who have always claimed equal rights as citizens of Pakistan, do not even have the right to perform their religious duties. They also do not have equal right in the election process. They number among the highest victims of the Blasphemy laws, the use of which has instilled insecurity and fear among the religious minority groups. Christians, Hindus and other groups are denied of equal wages and job opportunities. Even the Ahmedi sect of Islam is denied the right to bury their loved ones in the common graveyard.
Pakistan celebrates its Independence Day despite the fact that more than half of its population lives in shanty towns and slums without drinking water, sanitation, access to health care and education. Every year more than one million people are displaced without any compensation from their homes or threatened with displacement. The old villages are also demolished on the pretext of construction of mega projects despite the fact that the inhabitants have been living in them for more than a century. The gap between the rich and the poor is widening day by day. According to the State Bank of Pakistan more than 34 percent of the population is living below the poverty line, whereas independent sources claim that the figure is closer to 42 percent. Prices of essential items are almost 300 percent higher than October 1999 when the Pakistan Army took over control of the country. Due to privatisation at large scale without any transparency, unemployment figures have increased tremendously and the working hours for those fortunate enough to have jobs have been increased from eight to twelve hours a day. The governments statistics about unemployment is generally believed to be incorrect but there is no method at official level to check. It is because of unemployment and job insecurity that cases of suicide have increased.
It is in this atmosphere that the Pakistani elite and ruling classes are celebrating Independence Day with enthusiasm and fervor. The media is projecting more about freedom and independence than it is about the truth of how a nation is being betrayed in the name of nationalism and Islam. Independence Day celebrations run from the 1st day of August to the 15th and during this fortnight so much of the countrys wealth is rolled out to propagate .
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About AHRC: The Asian Human Rights Commission is a regional non-governmental organisation monitoring and lobbying human rights issues in Asia. The Hong Kong-based group was founded in 1984.
