HRCP Chairman Asad Iqbal Butt Released After Arrest in Pakistan
Asad Iqbal Butt, the Chairman of the Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP), was arrested by Pakistani police and released a few hours later. Butt explained that he was detained for 3-4 hours without any solid reason and was released after media pressure mounted.
Butt said, “The police entered our house and asked me to come to the police station. They released me after the pressure mounted from the media. It’s illegal and against human rights.” He added that he was questioned about his visit to Quetta, which he had not visited in seven years, and about HRCP’s support for Baloch activists.
The HRCP demanded Butt’s immediate release, calling the arrest a tactic to intimidate human rights defenders. The HRCP stated, “HRCP demands the immediate and unconditional release of its chairperson, Asad Iqbal Butt, who is arbitrarily detained by police in Karachi. HRCP believes that this measure is an intimidation tactic designed to stifle the voice of human rights defenders like Mr Butt.”
The human rights wing of the Baloch National Movement, PAANK, also condemned the arrest, describing it as an attempt to suppress legitimate human rights advocacy. PAANK stated, “PAANK condemns any actions that intimidate or harass human rights defenders. The interrogation of Asad Butt appears to be an attempt to suppress legitimate human rights advocacy and stifle efforts to seek justice for the families of the Baloch missing persons.”
HRCP has been a long-standing voice against the atrocities inflicted by the administration and the Pakistani Defence Forces upon Pakistan’s own people. The organization has repeatedly supported and stood in solidarity with the voice of the weak whenever the public faced human rights abuses in Pakistan. The intimidation of human rights defenders like Butt has been a longstanding reality in Pakistan to suppress the voice of dissent and truth in the country. Notably, there have been several infamous instances of killing, arrest, intimidation, torture, and abduction of anyone who dares to raise the issue of human rights abuse.
Previously, several human rights advocates like Gilaman Wazir, Manzoor Pashteen, Asad Ali Toor, Shahdad Baloch, Saddam Baloch, Hidayat Lohar, Mahrang Baloch, Basit Baloch, and hundreds of others have also faced intimidation for raising their voices against the regime.
Doubts Revealed
HRCP -: HRCP stands for Human Rights Commission of Pakistan. It is an organization that works to protect and promote human rights in Pakistan.
Chairman -: A Chairman is the leader or head of an organization or a group. In this case, Asad Iqbal Butt is the leader of the HRCP.
Arrest -: An arrest is when the police take someone into custody because they believe that person has done something wrong or illegal.
Media pressure -: Media pressure means that newspapers, TV channels, and other media talk a lot about something, which makes people pay attention and sometimes forces authorities to take action.
PAANK -: PAANK stands for Pakistan Association of National NGOs in Karachi. It is a group of non-governmental organizations in Karachi, Pakistan, that work together on various issues, including human rights.
Intimidate -: To intimidate means to frighten or scare someone, often to make them do something or stop them from doing something.
Human rights defenders -: Human rights defenders are people who work to protect and promote the basic rights and freedoms that all humans should have, like the right to speak freely and live safely.
Activists -: Activists are people who work to bring about social or political change. They often campaign for things like human rights, the environment, or other important issues.
