J K News Today Commentary

Pakistan military has reacted fast and furiously over a well documented repot of the BBC listing series of horrible human rights abuses in Pakistan. calling it a “pack of lies.” This sits typically with Pakistan’s perennial penchant for deniability over all issues that embarrass it internationally. It wants to hide things in its backyard on the strength of the brute military power for which it is known worldwide.

BBC’s report: Uncovering Pakistan’s secret human rights abuses,” has documented each and every incident of Pakistan’s unending tale of the torture of the people in its borderlands along Afghanistan in the name of post 9/11 American funded “War on Terror”. It has given a detailed account of the way Pakistan army has used this “war on terror” to neturalise the voices of dissent and targeted the innocent civilians. All these abuses were bound to raise concerns, internationally, and the BBC has done its job keeping in with the high journalistic traditions for it is known for decades. Its objectivity has rarely come under any question.

Many a times, Pakistan has used international media reports about the alleged human rights abuses in other parts of the world, particularly India, to target the democracy in most partisan manner. In such circumstances, it has accepted and broadcast further the international media reports without even a blink.

Now when the BBC has spotlighted its own horrific state of human rights record, Pakistan has resorted to anti-BBC campaign and called the media lacking the journalistic ethics. Pakistan’s ISPR has used quite strong words. Now look at what.

This is one of the excerpts from the BBC report released on June 2:

“Local rights activists say scores of civilians have been killed in successive air campaigns and ground operations by the military. They have been collecting video and documentary evidence to back up their claims.

These activists are linked to a prominent new rights campaign called the Pashtun Tahaffuz (Protection) Movement (PTM) which emerged early last year and has since been publicising alleged rights abuses in the tribal region that victims had previously been too scared to report.

“It has taken us almost 15 years of suffering and humiliation to gather courage to speak up, and to spread awareness about how the military trampled our constitutional rights through both direct action and a policy of support for the militants,” said Manzoor Pashteen, the top leader of the PTM.

But the group is under pressure. The PTM says 13 of its activists were killed on 26 May when the army opened fire on a large group of protesters in North Waziristan. The army said at least three activists were shot dead after a military checkpoint was attacked. The PTM denies this but two of its leaders, who also serve as MPs, have been arrested.”

Pakistan should have taken note of the report and started working in improving its record on human rights and it was imperative for it to uphold the rights of the PTM. Instead, it is in complete denial.

What does this mean.? Pakistan is covering up its backyard with the pack of lies that it accuses BBC of. The shoe lies in other foot.