UN seeks explanation on rights abuse in Lal Masjid operation
* Six-point questionnaire seeks evidence of hostages taken by mosque administration, and army’s rules of engagement
ISLAMABAD: The United Nations special rapporteur on extrajudicial, summary or arbitrary executions has asked Pakistan to clarify its position on alleged human rights violations in an operation against Lal Masjid and Jamia Hafsa, Daily Times has learnt.
Sources said that UN Rapporteur Philip Alston had sent a six-point questionnaire to Pakistani Ambassador Masood Khan, who is also the country’s permanent representative in the UN, seeking explanation of events related with the Operation Silence launched against Lal Masjid in which more than 102 people, including madrassa students, clerics, militants and security personnel, were killed between July 3 and 10. The sources said that the ambassador had forwarded the questionnaire to the ministries for foreign affairs, the interior and law.
Alston asked the government how many of the dead were Lal Masjid students, clerics or their supporters, journalists, civilians, bystanders and security personnel. About hostages taken during the operation by the mosque administration, he asked the government to give the number of people taken hostage by the administration and how many of them were killed by militants and how many by security forces.
Evidence of hostage taking: The UN official also asked about the measures taken to ensure that a decision to raid the mosque to free hostages was based on concrete evidence and that such a raid would cause minimum harm to the hostages.“Did the Pakistani government or security forces engaged with the mosque supporters comply with international human rights law?” the official asked.
Army’s rules of engagement, types of weapons: He also sought a copy of the rules of engagement that security forces were required to follow during the operation. He also asked the government about the types of weapons used in the operation and whether they included chemical or incendiary weapons.
Alston also questioned, “What are the status and results of any police, medical or military investigations, or judicial or any other inquiries carried out after the operation? What efforts have been taken by the government to ensure that these investigations are or will be independent, comprehensive and prompt? Was the madrassa destroyed after the operation, and if so, why? If its destruction was necessary, was all evidence related to police, medical and other investigations collected from the madrassa premises?
Source: Daily Times
Date:10/22/2007
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