Pak using terror war to arrest opponents: US

A US report has flayed the human rights situation in Pakistan, saying the government is increasingly using 8220;the war on terror as an excuse to arrest and detain political opponents8221;.

A US report has flayed the human rights situation in Pakistan, saying the government is increasingly using 8220;the war on terror as an excuse to arrest and detain political opponents8221;.

8220;Restrictions remained on freedom of movement, expression, association, and religion. Disappearances of provincial activists and political opponents continued, especially in provinces experiencing internal turmoil and insurgencies,8221; the State Department said in its annual Human Rights Report for 2006.

The report, which is mandated by Congress, has said that NGOs have reported that the government 8220;increasingly used the war on terror as an excuse to arrest and detain political opponents.8221;

8220;According to the NGO Asia Human Rights Commission AHRC, during the year more than 600 people disappeared after being taken into custody, including 200 people from Sindh. AHRC reported that in Balochistan, 1,000 people had been killed since military operations began in 2001. According to a statement by the federal minister for internal affairs, more than 4,000 people were arrested in Balochistan since the beginning of 2005, 8220; it said.

8216;India respects rights, but problems remain8217;

Washington: The Indian Government generally respects the rights of its citizens but 8220;serious problems8221; remain, including 8220;extra judicial killings8221;, a US government report has said.

The State Department in its Annual Human Rights Report for 2006, also said 8220;attacks against religious minorities and promulgation of anti-religious conversion laws were areas of concern8221;. Although the Indian government generally respected the rights of its citizens, 8220;serious problems8221; remained, including 8220;extrajudicial killings of persons in custody, disappearances, torture and rape by police and security forces,8221; the report released on Tuesday said.