LAHORE: The Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP) has demanded that the government and the opposition, the PTI, should immediately enter into a purposeful political dialogue, both on the floor of the house and between different political parties to find a peaceful solution to the current stalemate.

“It is high time that they agreed on a peaceful way forward instead of whipping up the emotions of their respective political workers and bringing the country to a standstill, particularly in Islamabad and Punjab, violating others’ freedom of movement and livelihood in the process,” said a press release.

This should be an opportunity for political introspection for all sides, it said in an apparent reference to the PTI announcement of ending protest in Islamabad.

It is deeply disturbing to note that the loss of human life in protests and rallies has been of little concern for any of our political actors, it said, urging whether law enforcers or political workers, any casualty must be unacceptable for all.

“HRCP shares the same grief of all those who have lost family members in violent protests and through the unwarranted use of force by the authorities over the past couple of days in Islamabad.”

Published in Dawn, November 28th, 2024