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 Constitu-
tion 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 shut- 
down 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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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 commit-
ment 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 deten-
tion of prominent human rights defenders in Pakistan 
has placed religious liberty and the freedom of expres-
sion, 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 Chair-
person 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 de-
fender; 
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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 ex-
pected 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 advo-
cates were detained, reportedly to prevent them from par-
ticipating 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 As-
sociation 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 Paki-
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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 ordi-
nances, and the ‘‘Government’s failure to take action 
against societal forces hostile to those who practice a dif-
ferent faith fostered religious intolerance, acts of violence, 
and intimidation against religious minorities’’; 
Whereas Islamic extremism has grown under these discrimi-
natory laws with the perpetrators largely enjoying impu-
nity, 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 vio-
lence; 
Whereas according to recommendations by the United States 
Commission on International Religious Freedom, the 
Government of Pakistan needs ‘‘to take much more seri-
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ous efforts to combat Islamic extremism in that country, 
noting especially the current government’s political alli-
ance with Islamist political parties, which affords an inor-
dinate 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 al-
liance and the consequent abuses on human rights are 
‘‘strengthening the very extremists who incite participa-
tion 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 com-
mitted to ‘‘actively participate in the work of the Human 
Rights Council (HRC), with a view to facilitate the im-
plementation of its mandate’’: Now, therefore, be it 
Resolved, That it is the sense of the House of Rep-
resentatives— 
(1) the Government of Pakistan should imme-
diately restore the rule of law by reinstating the con-
stitution and members of the Supreme Court of 
Pakistan; 
(2) the Government of Pakistan should imme-
diately put an end to the charges against all human 
rights defenders and immediately and uncondition-
ally release those in detention or under house arrest, 
in particular we call for the protection of Ms. Asma 
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