European Parliament slams Pakistan for HR abuse

The European Parliament has slammed Pakistan for its "grave human rights abuses" and raised concern over the "pathetic condition" of the girl child in that country as it condemned the attack on Malala Yosufzai. It also called for a determined effort by the international community to use its moral, financial and military power to stem the rot that "afflicts certain societies where children have become targets of terrorist organisations like the Taliban which continue to have support and sanctuaries in Pakistan". During a debate organised in the European Parliament on March 26, the members of South Asia Peace Forum (SAPF) highlighted the pathetic condition of the girl child in Pakistan. The emergency debate specially focused on the discrimination against girls in Pakistan with special reference to Malala Yousafzai. "The members of the European Parliament spoke at length about the situation of human right abuses," an official statement said. The debate highlighted the attack in the city of Mingora in which the 15-year-old Malala was targeted. "Malala is widely respected for her work to promote the schooling of girls; something that the Taliban strongly oppose and apparently became the reason for the attack," it said. Malala was shot in her hometown of Mingora in the Swat Valley of Pakistan on October 9 and was flown to Britain two weeks ago for treatment at the Birmingham hospital. Charles Tannock, Member of European Parliament (MEP) during the debate said that, "This is more than just the case of the shooting of one brave girl, but a crisis for the entire Pakistani education system". He added that Pakistani government must take immediate steps to protect students, teachers, schools, and rights defenders at risk of attack and stressed that, "It's time for Pakistani authorities to understand that expressions of outrage alone are inadequate and such attacks will only end if they hold abusers accountable". He said that the people who seek to harm children are nothing but "cowards who fear the rise of their voice". "The members of European Parliament and members of SAPF called for a determined effort by the international community to use its moral, financial and military power to stem the rot that afflicts certain societies where children have become targets of terrorist organisations like the Taliban which continue to have support and sanctuaries in Pakistan," the statement said.