Pakistan threat to civil society

Main trends in Pakistan that have been collected by the Early Warning System partners:

• Pakistan civil society has difficulty carrying out operations due to various threats from the state targeting civil society. Threats from non-state actors to civilians and civil society at large are also common.

• Violence in the form of bomb blasts, arbitrary killings, maiming, explosions, disappearances (around 992 in one province), kidnappings, assassinations and suicide attacks by non-state actors are prevalent. The headquarters of the army general were also attacked. The army has been granted powers to detain civilians for 90 days as it sees fit due to national security concerns.
• Some NGOs have had to leave war zones or been forced to shut down due to threatened civil society space. Civilians are always faced with the possibility of violence. The army retaliates with gruesome killings of militants.

• Some international NGOs have not been allowed to operate in conflict zones due to national security concerns.

• Individual civil society actors linked with development organizations have been targeted and curfews have been instigated in some parts of the country, restricting civil liberties.

• Drafts of restrictive NGO laws to question civil society’s credibility have been reported.

• The government has failed to deliver on its promises to build schools. Through the influence of the private sector inflation has shot up on some basic commodities.

• Government representatives have expressed concerns about national security and resolved to obtain resources to protect themselves, including facilities and arms.

• Militants have targeted media to restrict media freedom, and some cases of poor working conditions for journalists have been reported. Journalists face threats from both the government and the Taliban. A policy to prevent media independence by centralizing the media is being implemented. Media houses have been forced to tighten security in their offices.

• Closure of educational institutions due to threats by non-state actors and seizure of property of religious minorities is a violation of human rights and denial of the right to education. The government has failed many times to protect civilians from violence.

• Corruption is rife according to the Transparency International Index meaning development has been negatively affected and some political figures have criminal records.

• Civil liberties are restricted as the security forces terrorize people instead of protecting them.

• Civilians have been displaced due to violent conflict against the military. The security forces have created a gender based civil liberties restriction, instructing women to carry security passes when traveling. Access to obtain such passes is difficult.

• Poverty continues to escalate with the poorest selling their kidneys to survive.