Lahore

In a statement issued on Wednesday, the Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP) pleaded with Pakistan to put the anti-torture laws into effect.

The statement said that the HRCP insisted that the Pakistani government create systems that assist in documenting and addressing cases of torture in custody and guarantee that sufficient financial, human, and technical resources are allotted for the same.

Referring to Pakistan’s Torture and Custodial Death (Prevention and Punishment) Act of November 2022, HRCP observed that the law’s implementation has stagnated and referred to it as a startling breach in the state’s duty to its citizens that has to be fixed.

The HRCP went on to say in the statement that these irrational delays give the offenders the confidence to carry out torture crimes with complete impunity. According to the HRCP statement, “This act shall be made functional at once by instituting its rules and mechanisms.”

Furthermore, actions need to be taken to disrupt the political and social norms that support or condone the use of torture in detention by law enforcement. Furthermore, the right of people to be free from torture must be made known to the broader public.

In the same statement, HRCP noted that the criminal justice system’s integrity and clear commitment to eradicating torture in detention at all levels are prerequisites for the effectiveness of such laws.
The identical bill had previously been supported by a number of Pakistani activists, but rights organizations had uncovered a number of legal flaws.