Former UN Special Rapporteur on Torture Professor Manfred Nowak said that government will prepare a report under ministry of human rights on torture and other cruel inhuman or degrading treatment and should involve all stake- holders including parliamentarians, civil society and lawyers.
He was addressing a conference on Combating Torture in Pakistan held under the auspices of Democratic Commission for Human Development. The conference was attended by Director General Ministry of Human Rights Farkhanda Auurangzeb, Khalid Latif former AIG Punjab and Chairperson DCHD Dr Baela Jamil.
Nowak said that there is a need of effective policy which includes constitutional and structural reforms to address the issue of torture. Torture destroys people's life and it must be taken as a crime like other crimes. He also said that a prisoner should not be taken in custody more than 48 hours and not more than four or five days before appearing into the court.
Nowak said that Pakistan has signed the UN convention against torture and other cruel inhuman or degrading treatment but, unfortunately, world doesn't like the use of third-degree use for investigation in Pakistan. Earlier at the inaugural session on Thursday Governor Punjab Sardar Latif Khosa said the Federal Government has taken several important steps towards improving the judicial system in the country and in this regard addition of three new fundamental rights have been inducted in the Constitution under 18th Amendment.
He said that new fundamental rights include the right to education, the right to information and the right to fair trial. Governor was of the opinion that torture in society has many forms and manifestations, citing the case of Ayesha Ahad, he strongly criticised the Punjab Government for inflicting torture on Ayesha Ahad and said false case of ransom was registered against her and the complaint of Ayesha was not being entertained.
Governor further said change in attitude and mindset of the law enforcing agencies' members is required for effective implementation and better monitoring mechanisms and added that eradicating torture and all other inhuman and degrading treatment is the priority of Federal Government and fair-trial right requires improvements in all aspects of judicial system where all get adequate legal representation and no person is humiliated be the rich or poor. Governor said Pakistan has always been firmly committed to protection of human dignity and upholding the principles of Rule of Law.
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