Terror attack in Quetta: Pakistani government must ensure security and respect for human rights

(Paris, Lahore) FIDH and its member organisation in Pakistan, the Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP) condemn in the strongest possible terms the terrorist attack that claimed 74 lives, mostly lawyers, and injured 112 others at the entrance of the Civil Hospital’s emergency room in Quetta, Pakistan’s Balochistan province on Monday, 8 August 2016.

The attack took place when lawyers had gathered at Quetta’s Civil Hospital to accompany the body of Bilal Anwar Kasi, the President of the Balochistan Bar Council after he was shot dead the same morning by unidentified men. [1].

We stand in solidarity with all the people of Pakistan and call on the government of Pakistan to ensure the safety and security of its populace, notably of lawyers, journalists, and human rights defenders. We also recall that in its efforts to counter terrorist threats, the government of Pakistan must abide by international law and its human rights obligations, noting that peace and security can only be ensured through the respect for human rights and the rule of law.

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