IV 

110TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION H. RES. 840 

Calling for the protection of human rights and restoration of rule of law 

in Pakistan. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

DECEMBER 4, 2007 

Mr. FRANKS of Arizona (for himself, Mr. WOLF, Mr. SMITH of New Jersey, 

Mr. BURGESS, Mr. KING of Iowa, Mr. PITTS, Mrs. MUSGRAVE, Ms. 

SCHAKOWSKY, and Mr. RAHALL) submitted the following resolution; 

which was referred to the Committee on Foreign Affairs 

RESOLUTION 

Calling for the protection of human rights and restoration 

of rule of law in Pakistan. 

Whereas on November 3, 2007, President Pervez Musharraf 

declared a state of emergency, suspending the Constitution and the Supreme Court, and initiating a crackdown 

on hundreds of opposition party leaders, lawyers, and 

prominent human rights advocates who are fundamental 

to democracy and the protection of human rights; 

Whereas on November 3, 2007, President Musharraf shutdown independent TV stations throughout Pakistan and 

passed an ordinance to amend the Pakistan Electronic 

Media Regulatory Authority Ordinance barring speech 

that the President considers to be ‘‘against basic socio 

cultural norms’’, ‘‘against sanctity of home, family, and 


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•HRES 840 IH 

marriage’’, ‘‘casting aspersions against the President or 

security or . . . judiciary of Pakistan’’, and ‘‘promoting, 

aiding, abetting any offense against the Pakistan Penal 

Code or any other law in force’’; 

Whereas on November 3, 2007, Secretary of State 

Condoleezza Rice remarked, ‘‘that the United States has 

made clear that it does not support extra-constitutional 

measures because those measures would take Pakistan 

away from the path of democracy and civilian rule. And 

whatever happens, we will be urging a quick return to a 

constitutional order, we will be urging that the commitment to hold free and fair elections be kept, and we’ll be 

urging calm on all the parties.’’; 

Whereas the current suspension of the rule of law and detention of prominent human rights defenders in Pakistan 

has placed religious liberty and the freedom of expression, among other human rights, and the democratic 

process in Pakistan in grave danger; 

Whereas Asma Jahangir, the United Nations Special 

Rapporteur on Freedom of Religion or Belief and Chairperson of the independent Human Rights Commission of 

Pakistan (HRCP) was put under house arrest under a 90 

days preventative detention order issued by the Home 

Department of the Government of Punjab, reportedly to 

prevent her from making ‘‘inflammatory speeches’’; 

Whereas Ms. Jahangir has been a staunch defender of the 

right to religious freedom among other human rights 

both in Pakistan and throughout the world for all people, 

and is being targeted for her views as a human rights defender; 


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•HRES 840 IH 

Whereas a house warrant was also issued for Ms. Hina 

Jilani, the United Nations Secretary General’s Special 

Representative for Human Rights Defenders, who is expected to be detained upon her return to Pakistan; 

Whereas on November 4, 2007, the police raided the office 

of the HRCP in Lahore and arrested 55 of its members 

on charges of holding ‘‘illegal assembly’’ and interfering 

with public officers, including I.A. Rehman, director of 

the HRCP; 

Whereas on November 4, 2007, an estimated 500 political 

and civil society leaders, lawyers, and human rights advocates were detained, reportedly to prevent them from participating in public demonstrations against President 

Musharraf’s imposition of martial law; 

Whereas Ahsan Bhoon, president of the Lahore High Court 

and Aitzaz Ahsan, president of the Supreme Court Bar 

Association, as well as 2 former presidents of the Bar Association and several members of the Supreme Court 

were among those arrested; 

Whereas Asma Jahangir and many of those detained under 

the state of emergency were released beginning November 

16, 2007; however, 2,000 people remain in detention; 

Whereas President Musharraf replaced several key Supreme 

Court judges who subsequently issued their first verdict 

on November 19, endorsing the validity of his election to 

a second term as President; Musharraf resigned from the 

military and was sworn in as President on November 29, 

2007; 

Whereas according to the United States Department of State 

2007 International Religious Freedom Report for PakiVerDate Aug 31 2005 04:09 Dec 05, 2007 Jkt 069200 PO 00000 Frm 00003 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6300 E:\BILLS\HR840.IH HR840

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•HRES 840 IH 

stan, constitutional guarantees for the right to religious 

freedom are not protected in practice; 

Whereas the Government imposes discriminatory limitations 

on religious freedom as well as many other rights, such 

as the right to freedom of speech, which is ‘‘subject to 

any reasonable restrictions imposed by law in the interest 

of the glory of Islam’’; 

Whereas according to the International Religious Freedom 

Report for Pakistan, discriminatory legislation, such as 

the anti-blasphemy laws, which provide the death penalty 

for defaming Islam or its prophets, and the hudood ordinances, and the ‘‘Government’s failure to take action 

against societal forces hostile to those who practice a different faith fostered religious intolerance, acts of violence, 

and intimidation against religious minorities’’; 

Whereas Islamic extremism has grown under these discriminatory laws with the perpetrators largely enjoying impunity, and has placed in grave danger the stability of the 

democratic process in Pakistan, the rights of its people, 

and international security; 

Whereas Shi’a Muslims, Ahmadis, Christians, and Hindus 

among others who have been attacked by Sunni militants 

and mob violence, as well as Sunni Muslims who have 

been the victims of reprisal attacks, could face greater 

danger under the current state of emergency unless the 

rule of law and democratic process are restored and every 

individual is protected from religiously motivated violence; 

Whereas according to recommendations by the United States 

Commission on International Religious Freedom, the 

Government of Pakistan needs ‘‘to take much more seriVerDate Aug 31 2005 04:09 Dec 05, 2007 Jkt 069200 PO 00000 Frm 00004 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6300 E:\BILLS\HR840.IH HR840

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ous efforts to combat Islamic extremism in that country, 

noting especially the current government’s political alliance with Islamist political parties, which affords an inordinate amount of influence to these groups, and which, 

in turn, has had a strong negative impact on religious 

freedom in Pakistan’’; 

Whereas the Commission has also stated that this political alliance and the consequent abuses on human rights are 

‘‘strengthening the very extremists who incite participation in terror activity’’, to the detriment of United States 

national security objectives to combat terrorism; and 

Whereas the Government of Pakistan is an ally of the United 

States in the war on terrorism and a member of the 

United Nations Human Rights Council and has committed to ‘‘actively participate in the work of the Human 

Rights Council (HRC), with a view to facilitate the implementation of its mandate’’: Now, therefore, be it 

1 Resolved, That it is the sense of the House of Rep2 resentatives— 

3 (1) the Government of Pakistan should imme4 diately restore the rule of law by reinstating the con5 stitution and members of the Supreme Court of 

6 Pakistan; 

7 (2) the Government of Pakistan should imme8 diately put an end to the charges against all human 

9 rights defenders and immediately and uncondition10 ally release those in detention or under house arrest, 

11 in particular we call for the protection of Ms. Asma 


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•HRES 840 IH 

1 Jahangir so that she may continue her important 

2 work as Special Rapporteur; 

3 (3) the Government of Pakistan should imme4 diately restore the independence of the media and 

5 ensure freedom of speech and expression; and 

6 (4) the Government of Pakistan should review 

7 all legislation to ensure respect for the international 

8 human rights Pakistan committed to uphold as a 

9 member of the United Nations Human Rights Coun10 cil. 

Æ 


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