Amnesty condemns deadly Pakistan protest crackdown, calls for investigation

28.11.2024 09:00

Pakistani police fire tear gas shells to disperse rampaging youths as violence brakes out in the southwestern Pakistani city of Quetta, 10 February 2001 in reaction to shooting incident which killed five and injured seven. Angry mobs looted shops, burnt vehicles and clashed with police late in the evening after five people were killed in a dispute between two groups of transport operators. (FILM) AFP PHOTO/Banaras KHAN (Photo by BANARAS KHAN / AFP)

Amnesty International has condemned the “deadly” crackdown on protesters in Pakistan and called for “transparent investigations” into the actions of the Pakistani government, describing such inquiries as an “urgent necessity.”

In a statement released on Wednesday, November 27, the organization denounced the violent suppression of protesters in Pakistan, calling it “brutal.” It stated that “protesters in Pakistan have faced brutal and deadly repression, which government officials are attempting to cover up.”

According to the organization, “The escalation of violence, internet service shutdowns, mass arrests, and inflammatory rhetoric against Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) protesters by officials are all tactics routinely used to suppress dissent.”

Amnesty International has called for an immediate, thorough, impartial, effective, and transparent investigation into the deaths and injuries of protesters, as well as the unlawful use of force, including the use of lethal weapons by Pakistani security personnel.

The organization also urged the federal government of Pakistan to “immediately release all protesters who have been detained solely for exercising their right to peaceful assembly.”

Amnesty International’s findings indicate that around 4,000 supporters of PTI were arrested across Pakistan before the protests, with approximately 610 more detained on Tuesday.

Regarding the death toll, the organization mentioned that due to information censorship, the exact number of deaths and injuries remains unclear. However, BBC reported on Wednesday morning that at least six people, including four security officers, had died.

PTI, on the other hand, claimed that 30 bodies were transferred to one hospital alone, suggesting that the true number of casualties is much higher.

Amnesty International’s call for transparency and accountability in the aftermath of these protests highlights the need for a fair investigation into the excessive use of force by the Pakistani government.

The growing violence and suppression of political dissent raise serious human rights concerns that need to be addressed by international bodies and the Pakistani government alike.

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