The annual report of Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP) has exposed the complex condition of human rights, law and order, and other challenges facing people in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province of Pakistan.
Meanwhile, HRCP said in a press statement that it remained “unrepresented” during 2023. An election was never held to replace these representatives and no legislation was passed during this time.
Consequently, the Peshawar High Court invalidated the decision to suspend local bodies until provincial elections are held. The elected local representatives were therefore able to provide services for their constituents. Moreover, the local election took place in August 2023 where 72 key positions were contested in twenty-one districts.
Indicating about law order situation in province, the right body accused more than one hundred sixty policemen, seventy military soldiers, sixty common people and over one hundred seventy militants towards different attacks by terrorists and counter-terrorism operation carried out to apprehend them in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa during this year.
Therefore, due to an announcement made by federal caretaker government thousands Afghan refugee and migrants documented while 750000 undocumented refugees from Afghanistan forcedly deported from Pakistan back to their country through the province’s northwestern border crossing points with Afghanistan during 2023.
Highlighting financial problems faced by individuals; hundreds of teachers, doctors/nurses/paramedical staffs/professionals and sanitary workers also came on roads against non-payment of salaries/dues for long period etc throughout different parts of KP separately during 2023.
Likewise HRPC report also addressed Public health and environmental crises which has been a source of concern for many citizens. In addition at least eleven percent population is engaged in drug addiction with forty deaths caused by rains/flash floods/dust storms occurred across numerous districts as stated by HRCP report.
Reportedly court orders have not been followed hence most buildings lack essential accessibility measures for persons with disabilities and despite that during 2023, 4.7 million children, of which 66 % were girls, were out of school.
According to HRCP’s media monitoring in 2023, there were about twenty domestic violence cases, seventy two sexual violence incidents, forty nine ten ‘honour killings’ and approximately two hundred and forty six femicide related murder occurred within province.
Digital Rights Foundation report as cited by HRCP said that there were about one hundred twelve complaints on cyber harassment and gender based violence from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
This happened in January when women councilors from Khyber district elected in the local government polls of 2021 protested against them being denied functional authority or development funds meant to benefit their female constituents.
On the other hand, over a hundred women had participated in this election with some winning seats but they did not have offices neither resources unlike men who had both thus downgrading their status among people as per the report.
