MOTION FOR A RESOLUTION

23.10.2007

with request for inclusion in the agenda for the debate on cases of breaches of human rights, democracy and the rule of law
pursuant to Rule 115 of the Rules of Procedure
by Charles Tannock, Eija-Riitta Korhola
on behalf of the PPE-DE Group
on Pakistan

B6‑0420/2007

European Parliament resolution on Pakistan

The European Parliament,

-  having regard to its previous resolutions on Pakistan,

-  having regard to the Co-operation Agreement between the European Community and the Islamic Republic of Pakistan on Partnership and Development of 24 November 2001,

-  having regard to its resolution on 24th May 2007 on Kachmir,

-  having regard to Rule 115(5) of its Rules of Procedure,

A.  whereas the suicide bombing attack on 18 October 2007 against the motorcade of opposition leader Benazir Bhutto was one of the most deadly in the history of Pakistan and took lives of over 130 civilians and caused injuries for over 500 civilians;

B.  whereas there are clear signs of militarization of the Pakistani society by the government and an increased role of the secret services that continue to exert a very large influence in politics, government and the economy of Pakistan,

C.  whereas the restoration of democracy calls for power to be transferred back to a civilian elected government,

D.  whereas there are serious doubts whether the last parliamentary election in Pakistan was held according to democratic standards,

E.  whereas the European Union provides significant funding to Pakistan for poverty alleviation, and health and State education,

1.  Strongly condemns the suicide bombing attack by terrorists against the opposition leader and the civilians; demands that the Government of Pakistan take immediate actions to pursue a thorough and impartial investigation into this attack in order to bring all those responsible to trial;

2.  Strongly condemns the deportation of former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif to Saudi Arabia on 10 September 2007 despite a ruling of Pakistan's Supreme Court allowing his return to Pakistan;

3.  Welcomes the fact that the opposition leader Benazir Bhutto was granted admission into the country and encourages the Government of Pakistan to let the opposition campaign freely;

4.  Is concerned about the reports of ongoing oppression of religious minorities such as Christians, Buddhists, Hindus, Sikhs and Ahmadis and the use of the blasphemy laws against them;

5.  Calls for the government of Pakistan to take immediate action to cease such religious-based repression and to ensure the integrity and safety of the minorities by granting them legal and political protection; calls for Pakistan to conduct a legal revision of its judicial system with regard to the use of blasphemy laws, which are so widely misused; urges the Government of Pakistan to provide proper protection for lawyers and human rights defenders facing threats for defending those accused of blasphemy; urges the Government of Pakistan to provide proper protection for vulnerable religious minority communities facing threats of forced conversion and violent intimidation from extremists;

6.

Calls on the Pakistani authorities to repeal the Hudood Ordinances

which have led to the imprisonment of hundreds of women;

7.  Urges Pakistan to uphold all the principles enshrined in the Cooperation Agreement, in particular the democracy and human rights clause;

8.  Deplores some recent High Court procedures in Pakistan which give rise to serious concern about the lack of rule of law; calls for the Government of Pakistan to refrain from political interference and to respect the independence of the judiciary;

9.  Deplores President Musharraf's action not to relinquish his post of army chief before standing as a candidate and being elected president, which he had previously agreed to do in an undertaking to the EU; notes that this action had negative effect on the credibility of the Presidency in Pakistan; condemns the arbitrary arrest of the members of the opposition when they criticized Musharraf;

10.  Urges the Government of Pakistan to return to democratic government by holding free, fair and transparent elections as soon as possible and warns against the imposition of emergency rule or other measures to suppress freedom of speech, association, assembly or movement; urges the government of Pakistan to provide all parties equal access to the media;

11.  Welcomes the fact that the EU will monitor the parliamentary elections in Pakistan and that the European Parliament will participate in the observer mission; is concerned at the possibility that Pakistani women will not participate fully in the democratic process due to the fact that an academic qualification is required as a precondition for candidature, which will exclude 70% of Pakistani women; calls for the removal of this restriction;

12.  Urges Pakistan to take immediate action to restrict the influence of the military in society as a whole; calls on the Pakistani Government to respect a transition to civilian rule and to strengthen democratic institutions as the only possible way to answer the challenges in Pakistani society;

13.  Expresses its solidarity with Pakistan in its efforts to resist the rise of terrorist groups; deplores however the armed conflicts in Northern-Waziristan and the instability in the tribal areas; calls on the Government to stem the rise in such insurgency-related violence and to impose the rule of law and the extension of civil and political rights to this area;

14.  Stresses the importance of State education and genuine control over the madrasas, now in some cases under the control of extremists; calls on the Government of Pakistan to fulfil its commitment to enforce such control and to expel all foreign students from the madrasas;

15.  Instruct its President to forward this resolution to the Council, the Commission and the Government and Parliament of Pakistan.