Former Human Rights Minister Shireen Mazari has written a letter to the United Nations (UN) to hold an “independent and impartial investigation” into the “state excesses and human rights violations” during Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf’s (PTI) Azadi March, held on May 25.
In the letter, Mazari told the UN officials that Pakistan has been engulfed in a “political crisis” since former Prime Minister (PM) Imran Khan was ousted.
The letter stated that the government “backed by the establishment” had taken “repressive measures” against the “Azadi March”.
Mazari has requested the UN officials to “take urgent notice of the issues raised as they not only threatened democracy in Pakistan but also the lives of former Prime Minister Imran Khan, his party leadership…and intervene on these with the government of Pakistan”.
Demands of PTI in letter
The PTI in its letter also put forward five demands to the UN:
Demand an independent and impartial investigation into these state excesses and human rights violations.
Demand that the government immediately cease harassment of PTI workers and leaders.
Demand the release of all political workers and cease lodging politically-motivated FIRs against workers and leaders of the PTI.
Stop media censorship, which is in violation of basic democratic norms and of the ICCPR to which Pakistan is a party.
Stop denying the right to peaceful protest through repressive measures and blocking access to protest sites.
