PAK 001 / 0106 / OBS 009

The Observatory for the Protection of Human Rights Defenders, a joint
programme of the World Organisation Against Torture (OMCT) and the
International Federation for Human Rights (FIDH), requests your urgent
intervention in the following situation in Pakistan.

Brief description of the facts:

The Observatory has been informed by the Human Rights Commission of
Pakistan (HRCP) that a HRCP fact-finding mission was attacked in the
Pakistani south western region of Balochistan, on January 8, 2006.

According to the information received, the mission delegation was
composed by Ms. *Asma Jahangir*, HRCP Chairperson, Mr. *Afrasiab
Khattak*, former HRCP Chairperson, Mr. *Munizae Jahangir*, a journalist,
and Mr. *Muhammad Nadeem*, a cameraman. The mission aimed at monitoring
the deterioration of the human rights situation in Balochistan
subsequent to the military operations launched by the Pakistani armed
forces on December 17, 2005. Three charges of Kalashnikov were fired
during the attack against the vehicle; fortunately none of the mission
members got wounded.

The Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA) reportedly made a phone call to
the Quetta club to claim responsibility for the attack. This attitude is
not common for the BLA, which generally claims responsibility for its
actions by posting a press release on its website. According to the
information received, the government knew the exact position of the
vehicle because the intelligence services photographed it along the way.
The HCRP delegates filed a complaint but it has not been followed
neither by a police first information report nor by an investigation.

The Observatory expresses its concern about this attack, and fears that
the Pakistani Army might have been involved in it. In this regard, the
Observatory recalls that HRCP denounces the regular attempt of the
authorities to silence anyone who wishes to monitor the situation in the
province.

Actions required :

Please write to the authorities of Pakistan urging them to:

i. Guarantee in all circumstances the physical and psychological
integrity of all human rights defenders in Pakistan;

ii. Conduct a fair, impartial and independent investigation in order to
clarify the circumstances of the attack against the HRCP mission,
identify those responsible, bring them to justice and pronounce
sentences proportional to the gravity of their crimes;

iii. Put an end to all acts of harassment against all human rights
defenders in Pakistan;

iv. Conform with the provisions of the UN Declaration on Human Rights
Defenders, adopted by the General Assembly of the United Nations on
December 9, 1998, especially its article 1, which states that “everyone
has the right, individually and in association with others, to promote
and to strive for the protection and realisation of human rights and
fundamental freedoms at the national and international levels” and
article 6, which states that “everyone has the right, individually and
in association with others: to know, seek, obtain, receive and hold
information about all human rights and fundamental freedoms (...),
freely to publish, impart or disseminate to others views, information
and knowledge on all human rights and fundamental freedoms and to study,
discuss, form and hold opinions on the observance (...) of all human
rights and fundamental freedoms and, through these and other appropriate
means, to draw public attention to those matters”.

v. Ensure in all circumstances respect for human rights and fundamental
freedoms in accordance with international human rights standards and
international instruments ratified by Pakistan.

Addresses:

General Pervez Musharraf, President, Pakistan Secretariat, Islamabad,
PAKISTAN, Fax: +92 51 922 4768/ 920 1893 or 1835

Hon. Mr. Ishrat-ul-Ibad Khan, Governor of Sindh Province, Governor
House, Karachi, PAKISTAN, Tel: +92 21 9201201-3, Fax: +92 21 9205043,
E-mail: governor governorsindh.gov.pk

Hon. Mr. Arbab Ghulam Raheem, Chief Minister Sindh Province, 3^rd Floor,
New Sindh Secretariat, Building No. 1, Karachi, Sindh Province, PAKISTAN

Mr. Asad Jehangir, Provincial Police Officer, Sindh Police, Central
Police Office, Karachi, PAKISTAN, Telephone: +92 21 9212626-7, Fax: +92
21 9212051

Mr. Niaz Siddiqui, Regional Police Officer, Sukkur Region, Airport Road,
Sukkur, PAKISTAN, Tel: +92 71 30547, 30248, Fax: +92 71 30223/31824

Syed Sultan Shah, Joint Secretary for Law, Justice and Human Rights,
Islamabad, PAKISTAN, Tel: +92 51 920 3464, Fax: +92 51 9203119

Ambassador Masood Khan, Permanent Mission of Pakistan to the United
Nations in Geneva, Rue de Moillebeau 56, Case postale 434, 1211 Geneva
19, Switzerland, E-mail: mission.pakistan ties.itu.int, Fax: +41 22 734
80 85

***

Geneva-Paris, January 20, 2006

Kindly inform us of any action undertaken quoting the code of this
appeal in your reply.

The Observatory, a FIDH and OMCT venture, is dedicated to the protection
of Human Rights Defenders and aims to offer them concrete support in
their time of need.

The Observatory was the winner of the 1998 Human Rights Prize of the
French Republic.

To contact the Observatory, call the emergency line:

Email : Appeals fidh-omct.org

Tel et fax FIDH : + 33 1 43 55 55 05 / 33 1 43 55 18 80

Tel et fax OMCT : +41 22 809 49 39 / 41 22 809 49 29

Fédération Internationale des Ligues des Droits de l’Homme
International Federation for Human Rights - FIDH
17, passage de la Main d’Or
75011 Paris - France
tel : ++ 33 1 43 55 25 18 / fax : ++ 33 1 43 55 18 80
www.fidh.org