SUKKUR, Dec 12: Human Right Society of Pakistan (Sindh Chapter) has expressed dissatisfaction over the state of human rights in the province during 2001, with special significance to the Human Right’s Day observed on December 10.

Abdul Tahir Ansari, Chairman of the Society in his report issued here on Wednesday, maintained that officially the Commission had received 2000 applications in which violation of the human rights was pointed out, but deplored that the commission had failed to initiate any action on them.

The commission had also failed to investigate the extrajudicial and custodial deaths and habeas corpus cases, and torture to prisoners had also become a common feature, it added.

He said 20 people had died in public meetings and processions, five of whom belonged to Sindh. He also pointed out poor state of joblessness in the country and at least four million people did not have jobs, 1.5million in Sindh alone. It said 50,000 people were rendered jobless in the name of golden shake hand out of which 10,000 were from Sindh.

About Karo- kari, the report said 900 killings took place in the country, 700 of them women, of them 500 were from Sindh. 100 people were tortured to death in jails and police custody or had died in jails, 30 of them were from Sindh.

The report also threw light on fake police encounters. It said 50 such encounters took place in Sindh. Similarly 300 people were arrested due to their political affiliations in Sindh.

It said 500 incidents of kidnapping for ransom took place in the country and 300 of them were reported from Sindh.

The report also indicated about habeas corpus cases in the country, including eminent leaders Moulana Fazlur Rehman, Qazi Hussain, Azam Tariq, Liaqat Baloch and Moulana Samiul Haq.

It also dilated upon the poor state of official machinery during the local body’s elections, and maintained that at many places, elections were engineered. The Society hoped that the government would soon restore political activities and in the changing scenario, would allow the self-exiled politicians to return to the country besides restoring the constitution.

PPP ACTIVISTS: Dacoits tortured and snatched cash and other valuables from some PPP activists near Fidai Kalhoro village the other day.

Dr Fida Hussain Mirani, PPP youth wing provincial president, Shahan Mangi, divisional president, Larkana, Altaf Rind, and Shabbir Sangi were headed towards Larkana in a car when they were intercepted by dacoits who took them into the katcha area.

They tortured the activists there and set them free after snatching their watches, gold rings and Rs30,000 in cash.