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318 Furthermore, in view of the charged environment in the province these things
must not be seen as mere law and order issues. HRCP welcomes the
government’s decision to hold a judicial probe and very much hopes that
unlike earlier probes the findings of this one would be made public.”
HRCP stands
Political participation
February 27: HRCP expressed alarm at the deviations from normal sensible
behaviour that were witnessed during by-elections held in ten constituencies
and said that those had pointed to the dangers that could haunt the country
during the general election in 2013. The Commission pointed out in particular
preventing women from voting, violence upon polling staff, unrestricted display
of firearms and firing around polling booths and employment of police personnel
for interference in legitimate balloting. “All these events reported during this
limited exercise must be thoroughly probed and no quarters given to any
offender party, otherwise the dream of free and fair elections would forever
remain elusive. The remedy lies not only with the Election Commission—
although it has the first responsibility in the presence of abundant evidence of
the infractions—but also with the government and the political parties and
above all with the people who have to demonstrate responsibility and
commitment to the democratic principle rather than to petty interests or clan
loyalty,” the Commission added.
Democratic rights and political conditions
April 26: While commenting on the Supreme Court verdict in the contempt
case against the Prime Minister, HRCP called for an end to confrontation
between the state organs. In a statement the commission said: “While it is
gratifying to note that the Supreme Court held its hand while sentencing Prime
Minister Gilani, nobody can be happy that matters came to the point that the
head of an elected government was convicted of and sentenced for contempt
of court and that the court could not avoid making its decision controversial.
That the situation resulted from the maximal and rigid positions taken by the
two essential pillars of the state – the executive and the judiciary – can only be
regretted. The executive earned no credit by apparently defying the apex court’s
orders, which must be accepted even when they do not seem to be correct or
sound, and only time will tell what cause has been promoted by the judiciary
by belabouring the executive, out of the hundreds of issues on which it is
liable to be chastised, on the issue of its own contempt. It is necessary to point
out that Pakistan needs both justice and democracy in ample measure and that
justice without democracy will be as inadequate a dispensation as democracy
without justice. The people who have been kept on tenterhooks for week after
week only wish to see the end of a confrontation that is looking more and
more ungainly. They must not be disappointed.”
June 20: HRCP called the removal of Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gillani
a sad occasion in a country where democratic traditions have perpetually been