Pakistani Human Rights Commission and UN Rapporteur on human rights in Pakistan Asma Jahangir (Photo source : portal-stat.admin.ch)

Asma Jahangir, chairperson of Pakistani Human Rights Commission and UN Special Rapporteur of the Commission on Human Rights on Extra Judicial, Summary or Arbitrary Execution (Photo source : portal-stat.admin.ch)
Chairperson of the Human Rights Commission of Pakistan, an independent member-based organisation, Asma Jahangir, has said that Nepal’s political situation was nearly identical to that in Pakistan and urged Nepali judiciary to be cautious to save its independent status.

Citing instances of interference in the judiciary in her country, said Jahangir, who is also the United Nations Special Rapporteur of the Commission on Human Rights on Extra Judicial, Summary or Arbitrary Executions.

The top human rights advocate of the Islamic country alleged that the government of Pakistan and its army always want to influence the courts. “Judges cannot work independently for a long time if there is no democratic political system,” she said.

“Judges cannot resist for a long time, they have to surrender to the army’s and executive’s diktats because there is no strong opposition to them,” she added.

Speaking on human rights situation in Nepal at a programme organised by the Nepal Bar Association in Kathmandu on Sunday, Jahangir said Nepal’s judiciary was still maintaining its independence despite the political situation here being as crucial as in Pakistan. “I appreciate the judges and the lawyers in this country as the Supreme Court here is still playing an independent role.”

Jahangir also said Nepal’s Supreme Court was playing an appreciable role in the present situation and urged the Court to preserve its independent status.

She also urged political parties and society of Nepal to learn from political developments in Pakistan, according to reports.

Referring to the municipal polls announced by the royal government early next year, she urged Nepali political parties to learn from similar elections conducted by Pakistani President General Pervez Musharraf.