Pakistan: Human Rights body raises concern about situation in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa

Peshawar [Pakistan], June 12 : The Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP), in its annual report, highlighted the precarious situation of human rights, law and order, and issues faced by the people in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province of Pakistan.
HRCP said in a press statement that in the absence of any subsequent provincial election, the citizens in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa remained "unrepresented" throughout the year, with not a single piece of legislation enacted in 2023.
Following this, the Peshawar High Court struck down the order to suspend local bodies till the holding of provincial elections. This allowed elected local representatives to continue the provision of services to their electorate. The local elections were subsequently held in August 2023 for 72 key positions in 21 districts.
Commenting on the law and order situation in the province, the rights body alleged that over 160 policemen, 70 military personnel, 60 civilians, and more than 170 alleged militants were killed in dozens of targeted militant attacks and security operations in 2023.
Attempting to address the situation, Pakistan forcibly deported over 1.5 million documented and 0.7 million undocumented Afghan refugees and migrants from the province following an announcement by the federal caretaker government.
Shedding light on the financial issues faced by people, the rights body stated that hundreds of teachers, doctors, health workers, and sanitation workers protested against delays in payment of salaries and other dues in separate demonstrations across the province in 2023.
The report also addressed the status of Public health and environmental crises which has been a major issue of concern to the citizens. The HRCP report stated, that at least 11 per cent of the population suffers from drug abuse, and around 40 fatalities from rains, flash floods, and dust storms occur in several districts.
Persons with disabilities also remained deprived of essential accessibility measures in most buildings despite court orders, and 4.7 million children, 66 per cent of which included girls, remained out of school in 2023, the report added.
According to HRCP's media monitoring for 2023, there were at least 20 cases of domestic violence, 72 cases of sexual violence, 49 'honour' killings, and 246 femicide-related murders that reportedly took place in the province.
HRCP cited a report from the Digital Rights Foundation, which stated that 112 complaints related to cyber harassment and gender-based violence were reported from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
In January, women councilors from the Khyber district elected in the 2021 local government polls protested the denial of functional authority and development funds to help female constituents of their areas.
While over 100 women contested in the polls and several were elected, they had neither been provided offices nor resources, unlike their male counterparts, thereby lowering their status in people's perceptions, the report added.