New York, Oct 11: Sharply criticizing the human rights record of four years of Pervez Musharraf's rule in Pakistan, the Human Rights Watch has demanded the military ruler to stop harassment, torture and blackmail of political opponents, journalists and former government officials. In a letter to President Musharraf on the fourth anniversary of his seizing power in a coup, the US-based human rights watchdog agency charged him with emasculating judiciary and marginalising mainstream opposition political parties and demanded he immediately restore democracy in the country. The letter also blasted the Musharraf government for the continuing discrimination against women and minorities. Raising concerns about Pakistan's collaboration with the United States in the "so-called" war on terror, it said the cooperation has been exemplified by a "disregard for due process." "Arbitrary arrests and detentions, allegedly with the support of the US authorities in Pakistan, have taken place with depressing regularity," it added.
Bureau Report