The Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP) said on Tuesday that it had been concerned by the possible repercussions of the recently announced Azm-e-Istehkam operation through which the federal government proposed to deal with rising militancy in the country.

In a statement, HRCP said: While there is no question that the state must deal urgently with deteriorating law and order and poor security across the country, HRCP is concerned by the lack of transparency surrounding this measure. The state must not forget that such measures are as much political as they are security-driven.”

Accordingly, Parliament must deliberate on this operation carefully and transparently, taking into account the concerns of the entire political spectrum as far as possible, the HRCP said.

HRCP’s greatest concern was the potentially adverse impact this measure could have on ordinary citizens, many of whom include families who were displaced by earlier security operations and have yet to be compensated or rehabilitated.

Any realistic approach to countering militancy should not lose sight of the rights of all people affected. This operation must not therefore be used to justify further enforced disappearances, the use of internment centres or military courts, extrajudicial killings, arbitrary arrests or custodial torture, the HRCP concluded.