The Human Rights Watch (HRW) on Friday said that Pakistan's draft counterterrorism law threatens basic rights and freedoms in violation of Pakistan's international legal obligations,.
The Protection of Pakistan Ordinance, 2013, which was approved by President Mamnoon Hussain on October 20, 2013 and the National Assembly on April 7, 2014, requires Senate approval by April 20 or it will expire.
"Pakistan's anti-terror laws shouldn't be used to undermine fundamental rights," said Brad Adams, Asia director at Human Rights Watch.
"The Protection of Pakistan Ordinance as drafted runs roughshod over rights provided under international law as well as Pakistan's constitution," Adams added.
The proposed law violates fundamental rights to freedom of speech, privacy and peaceful assembly, and due process protections embodied in the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR), which Pakistan ratified in 2010. In its current form, the law could be used to suppress peaceful political opposition and criticism of government policy, Human Rights Watch said.
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Human Rights Watch said in a statement that Pakistan's Senate should refuse to approve the repressive law and return it to the National Assembly with needed revisions.
The preamble to the ordinance describes the law as necessary "for protection against waging of war against Pakistan and the prevention of acts threatening [its] security" so as to expedite the investigation and prosecution of terrorism cases.
The draft counterterrorism law contains vague and overly broad definitions that could be used to prosecute peaceful political protesters and those who criticize government policies, Human Rights Watch said.
Terrorism is a very real concern in Pakistan. Sunni militant groups such as Lashkar-e Jhangvi, an Al-Qaeda affiliate, have conducted numerous attacks targeting civilians. Although ostensibly banned, Lashkar-e Jhangvi operates with virtual impunity across Pakistan, as law enforcement officials either turn a blind eye or appear helpless to prevent attacks.
In 2013, more than 400 members of the Shia Muslim population were killed in targeted attacks that took place across Pakistan. On April 9, 2014, a truck bomb detonated at an outdoor market on the outskirts of the national capital, Islamabad, which killed at least 22 people. A self-described separatist group calling itself the United Baloch Army claimed responsibility for the attack.
"Denying Pakistanis their universal rights and freedoms isn't a smart or effective tool for battling terrorism," said Adams, Asia director at Human Rights Watch.
Adams also stated that "the government should step back and fully revise the Protection of Pakistan Ordinance with input from civil society and international experts to instead craft a law that addresses serious crimes while protecting rights.
