Anti-militant activists 'vulnerable targets' in Pakistan
The recent killing of another activist in Pakistan, Khurram Zaki, has exposed how the country is unable to protect its human rights defenders who are now seen as clearly vulnerable targets in an environment that's slowly becoming more and more hostile.
Zaki, a 40-year-old journalist and activist who was killed on May 7 in the southern port city of Karachi by unidentified gunmen, was an outspoken critic of the Sunni Muslim sectarian group Lashkar-e-Jhangvi, the Pakistani Taliban, and religious leader Abdul Aziz who justified the Peshawar school massacre in 2014. A Pakistani Taliban splinter group known as Hakeemullah claimed responsibility for Zaki's murder, but authorities could not verify their claim, according to Reuters.
"Activists are vulnerable targets," Pakistani lawyer and activist Jibran Nasir told Al-Jazeera. Nasir believes that the primary reason why Zaki was targeted was because of his constant and bold activism but added that Zaki was fully aware of what he was getting into since he had already received various threats. "We've registered an FIR [First Information Report] in Karachi after his murder and given the names of people who should be held responsible. Aziz has been named as the prime suspect in the FIR."
Nasir also shared that they have already previously filed charges against Aziz charging him of allegiance with the terrorist group Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant group (ISIL). They are also aware that Aziz knows them and have even led social media campaigns against the activists.
Human rights groups have since demanded a thorough and impartial investigation of Zaki's murder saying that the country is becoming more and more dangerous for human rights campaigners, lawyers, and journalists who are threatened by authorities, extremists, and militant groups.
"It's appalling that activists who are at the forefront of opposing violence by militant groups should themselves become targets," said Asia director at Human Rights Watch Brad Adams on their website. "Zaki's murder highlights the unacceptably dangerous climate that human rights defenders face across Pakistan."
Human rights lawyer Rashid Rahman was also shot dead two years ago while liberal activist Sabeen Mahmud was murdered on April 24 last year also in Karachi. Analyst and activist Raza Rumi was also targeted last year but survived the failed attempt.
"These three murders of well-known human rights defenders in as many years are just a few examples that raise serious questions about the Pakistani authorities' failure to tackle violent groups who brazenly declare their intention to silence those who criticize them," Champa Patel of Amnesty International said in a statement.