SUBMISSION FOR THE UNITED NATIONS COMMITTEE AGAINST TORTURE

In this submission presented to the United Nations Committee against Torture (the Committee), the JPP takes an opportunity to comment on Pakistan’s non-compliance with the United Nations Convention against Torture (UNCAT) based upon findings from its research, observations while representing its clients and interactions with victims of torture, lawyers, and human rights activists.
Pakistan ratified the UNCAT on 23 June 2010. Since ratification interested parties have repeatedly expressed concerns regarding the lack of effective measures taken by the Government of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan to implement its obligations under the UNCAT.

Acting in breach of article 19 of UNCAT, Pakistan has failed to file its State Party report with the Committee on the status of its compliance with UNCAT, originally due on 23 July 2011.  

Almost five years after the ratification of UNCAT, Pakistan has also failed to pass law giving effect to its provisions under domestic law, particularly criminalizing torture and penalizing its perpetrators. In 21 January 2015, the Senate Standing Committee on Law, Justice and Human Rights adopted a draft of the Anti-Torture, Custodial Death and Custodial Rape Bill. Since then the draft has been pending in the National Assembly and no progress has been demonstrated on its enactment.

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