Responding to the declaration of a state of emergency in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, as well as the imposition of governor rule and the deployment of armed forces in the province, Babu Ram Pant, Amnesty International’s Deputy Director for South Asia, said:
“Reports of arbitrary detentions of key leaders – including the provincial chief minister – and internet disruptions across the province raise concerns about the proportionality of these emergency measures. While states may, in strictly limited circumstances, derogate from their human rights obligations to respond to a public emergency that threatens the existence of the nation, emergency measures are not a blank cheque to crack down on human rights, silence dissent, or concentrate power.
“Given the history of enforced disappearances and extrajudicial executions in counterterrorism operations by the armed forces, the deployment of the army further militarizes the province and could create conditions for unlawful use of force. Pakistani authorities must avoid using military personnel for ordinary policing tasks and ensure that military forces remain accountable and comply with international human rights law and standards.
Emergency measures are not a blank cheque to crack down on human rights, silence dissent, or concentrate power
Babu Ram Pant, Amnesty International's Deputy Director for South Asia
“At this critical juncture, the federal authorities must ensure independent oversight of all actions taken under the emergency framework, and guarantee that any emergency measure is strictly necessary and proportionate to the situation.”
Background
President Asif Ali Zardari approved recommendations by the federal cabinet to impose a state of emergency and governor rule in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province under Articles 232 and 234 of Pakistan’s constitution respectively, citing an “unprecedented level of violent intensity of terrorist attacks” and a “breakdown of constitutional machinery” in the province on 11 October
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