Terror Charges on a Child? Pakistan Stuns the World by Booking 7-Year-Old Under Anti-Terror Law
Islamabad(The Uttam Hindu): The Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP) has condemned the filing of terrorism charges against a 7-year-old child in Balochistan’s Turbat district, calling it a grave violation of human rights and a misuse of anti-terrorism laws.
In a strongly worded statement, HRCP described the case as “deeply disturbing,” stating that registering a First Information Report (FIR) under anti-terrorism provisions against a minor flies in the face of both national and international legal obligations related to child protection.
According to HRCP, the incident occurred after the child allegedly uploaded a video on YouTube containing a speech by human rights activist Gulzar Dost. Labeling such an act as terrorism, the commission said, reflects an “imbalanced and excessive use of state power.”
HRCP has demanded the immediate withdrawal of the FIR, protection for the child and his family from harassment, and proper training of law enforcement officers on child rights. The organization also urged that child protection laws be enforced strictly in all legal proceedings involving minors.
Calling on the Balochistan government, the Ministry of Human Rights, the Chief Justice of Pakistan, and the National Commission for Human Rights, HRCP appealed for immediate intervention in the matter.
The commission also expressed alarm over ongoing cases involving minors in Pakistan’s anti-terrorism courts (ATCs), stating that many of these children have been prosecuted over the past year in violation of the Juvenile Justice System Act, 2018. “The fact that terrorism trials are being conducted against visibly underage children is not only a legal absurdity but also a clear breach of their constitutional and human rights,” HRCP stated.
- Tags
- #Pakistan