Secular supporters of Death Plenty?
When rationalists follow extremists
In our counter narrative to combat extremism and terrorism we must not
follow extremists and terrorists. As a human right supporter we are against
capital punishment. In May 2009 , HRCP issued a statement in which the
organization welcomed efforts of Government of Pakistan to convert death penalty
in life imprisonment yet till this time HRCP is silence on this vital issue. The worst statement in this regard came from a
so-called secular party of Karachi, MQM which reflects how some specific
groups used anti Taliban campaign in the fulfillment of their petty interest. Recently another secular cum nationalists ruling party of
Bangladesh too used the issue of death penalty to promote its politics. What is
our stand? Why we are so much reactionary? We are against all forms of
extremism, we are against religious extremism but it does not mean that we
should use same tactics, same arguments as of fundamentalists. Prime Minister
of Pakistan lifted a ban on death penalty but is such ban will reduce extremism?
Just imagine in reactionary mode we often move against our own arguments. Amnesty
International reacted on that news as “The Pakistani government must resist giving in
to fear and anger in the wake of the Peshawar school tragedy and maintain its
moratorium on executions, Amnesty International said today after Prime Minister
Nawaz Sharif pledged to restart executions for terrorism-related offences.”
In
its may 29, statement HRCP further said “However, the government’s position on the
overall issue of death penalty remains ambivalent. It refuses to recognize that
the issue of imposition of death penalty was linked to human rights. It made a
tall claim that death penalty was imposed after exhaustion of all remedies
through due process. HRCP vehemently disagrees.
Safeguards and restrictions to the
imposition of death penalty is a universal and recognized human rights
principle. It is a fundamental right to life. Capital punishment in Pakistan
has not been imposed with caution. Pakistan has one of the highest numbers of
prisoners in death cell. At present over 7,500 persons, including a few women
are awarded capital punishments. There is sufficient evidence and research to
show that due process, safeguards and restrictions imposed under customary
international law have not been applied to those convicted to capital
punishment.”But same HRCP neither condemn Altaf Husain
statement nor ready to challenge the government at this moment. Is it a double standard? Human rights organizations are raising this issue yet some of our secular friends are calling them Taliban appologists . Even in social media many progressive and liberal people are supporting death penalety. Instead of writing more on this issue i will Just apeal you to think and rethink on it once.
Altaf Hussain urges PM to give capital punishment to Taliban first
http://dunyanews.tv/index.php/en/Pakistan/250524-Altaf-Hussain-urges-PM-to-give-capital-punishment-
HRCP statement of may 29, 2008
https://hrcpblog.wordpress.com/2008/05/29/hrc-membership-hrcp-expects-pakistan-will-improve-human-rights-record/
Campign against death penalty
http://www.deathpenalty.org/article.php?id=201
Campaigning against Capital Punishment in Britain
http://www.quakersintheworld.org/quakers-in-action/53
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