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United Nations Human Rights Council

Islamic Republic of Pakistan

The position of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan is stated in regard to the following issues, which are facing
the conference of the United Nations Human Rights Council:

I. The use of torture and degrading treatment to war prisoners

II. The violation of rights of refugees

I. The use of torture and degrading treatment to war prisoners

As member of the United Nations Human Rights Council, the Islamic Republic of Pakistan is deeply
committed to keep basic human rights part of political reality. This also includes the protection of the rights
of war prisoners, as the use of torture or degrading treatment is an unacceptable violation of common
agreements such as the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, adopted in 1948 or the Geneva Convention,
adopted in 1949. The government of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan is therefore making serious efforts to
ensure as well as to realize fundamental and human rights in so far, as the conformity with the injunctions of
Islam, which are laid down in the Holy Quran and the Sunnah is warranted. Since new dangers of terrorism
are facing the international community of states, new methods of policy are indispensable to protect the
national and international security. The government of Pakistan is giving its absolute support to those
countries fighting against terrorism. The use of torture and degrading treatment to war prisoners can be
considered as a form of encouraging terrorists, as it is holding the danger of new potential enemies and acts
of vengeance. Therefore the Islamic Republic of Pakistan supports an aggravated control machine of public
as well as non-governmental institutions and considers a deeper public awareness for this topic by a
strengthened intercultural dialogue to sensitize governments and the population to the danger of using torture,
and the violation of international law. On the basis of its historic background and its geographical location,
Pakistan has apart of its Islamic culture also special relationships to the political ideals and values of the
western world as well as to several different religious and cultural understandings. Therefore the Islamic
Republic of Pakistan appreciates its own responsibility in this dialogue to protect the fundamental rights of
war prisoners.

The Islamic Republic of Pakistan

1. promotes the readapting and strengthening of the controls to ensure rights to war prisoners;
2. stresses the importance of an active intercultural dialogue and is aware of its geographical and
political role.

II. The violation of rights of refugees

Nations close to regions, which have been affected by political crises, war and occupations, are often
exposed to a large amount of refugees emigrating from neighbouring countries. So, the Islamic Republic of
Pakistan has to face an exodus of millions of refugees for more than 25 years. Pakistan has always shown
serious efforts to help refugees and to give them the protection they need. Many Afghan girls, for instance
got the chance to attend school and to get an education in Pakistan, which was a privilege for them.
Nevertheless the number of refugees in the Islamic Republic of Pakistan, especially in the provinces lacking
in infrastructure has been and still is immense. This is causing great problems: immigrants, working for low
wages force the locals to move, because of a lack of workstations; furthermore, these provinces were
shocked worst by natural catastrophes such as the terrible earthquake in 2005. Many refugees are also
politically protesting, which causes instability and increases the number of potential subversives. Donor
countries have still not fulfilled their promises to financially support catastrophe-stricken regions in
the world, as for example various provinces in the Islamic Republic of Pakistan. But, to provide the
immense amount of refugees’ security and support and to protect their rights, the receiving countries need to
be supported extensively.
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As long as the situation in some regions is still very critical, the high number of refugees continues to be a
very big challenge for the neighbouring countries and the more refugees the more difficult the protection of
their rights will be.

To prevent the violation of the rights of refugees, the Islamic Republic of Pakistan

1. recalls the responsibility of industrial nations to support those countries facing a great immigration;
2. promotes the importance of improving the intake capacity of the countries, having a great emigration.