Human rights groups condemn killing of Pakistani advocate

New Delhi, May 16 (IANS) Human rights and civil society groups, in a joint statement Friday condemned the brazen killing of a Pakistani advocate and human rights commission member.

Rashid Rehman Khan was murdered by unidentified gunmen at the office of the Human Rights Commission of Pakistan in Multan last week.

Khan, a Pakistan Supreme Court lawyer, was killed for defending a university lecturer against unfounded accusations of blasphemy -- a charge that carries the death sentence.

He had been openly warned by fellow lawyers in the presence of the presiding judge against continuing to defend the accused during the course of a hearing being held inside jail premises, the statement said.

"Khan's requests to the local police to investigate these threats had gone unheeded. He was murdered as he sat preparing an appeal asking that the blasphemy case be quashed," it said.

"Constitution of Pakistan obliges the state to ensure each individual a fair trial, assures each person of a right to an effective defence as well as assures each person of the right to hold their own views, associate with others and follow a profession," the statement said.

It said the killing of Khan for doing his duty as a lawyer amounted to a traitorous act against the Constitution.

"We urge the government of Pakistan to take necessary steps toward effective investigation by higher police authorities and swiftly identify the killers and bring them to justice along with their abettors," it said.

The statement has been endorsed by the United Nations Special Rapporteur on the Right to Health Anand Grover, Bangladesh Legal Aid and Services Trust, Centre for Policy Alternatives (Sri Lanka), Centre for Peace and Development Initiative (Pakistan), Commonwealth Human Rights Initiative (India), Gulmina Bilal Ahmad (Pakistan), INFORM Human Rights Documentation Centre (Sri Lanka), Maldivian Democracy Network (Maldives), Rozan (Pakistan), Ruki Fernando (Sri Lanka) and Working Group on Human Rights in India.