Musharraf silent on ‘disappeared’
In a speech to the Oxford Union, the visiting general spoke about the need to combat international terrorism. But on claims made by Amnesty International that hundreds of terror suspects arrested in Pakistan were being tortured and illegally transferred for money to US custody, he remained silent.
Amnesty called for Mr Musharraf to reveal the fate of the “disappeared” and urged an end to “arbitrary detention”.
It is calling for a list of detention centres in Pakistan and a register of all those held on suspicion of terror offences.
Many suspects are sold to the US by bounty hunters and transferred unlawfully to Guantanamo Bay and Bagram airbase in Afghanistan and other secret locations, it is claimed.
A report by Amnesty says: “In Pakistan torture and ill-treatment are endemic, arbitrary and unlawful arrest and detention are a growing problem, extrajudicial executions of criminal suspects are frequent. Well over 7,000 people are on death row and there has recently been a wave of executions.”
In his speech, Mr Musharraf concentrated on Pakistan’s blossoming economy, its free media and its desire to tackle terror.
At the start of his address he said he was looking forward to a “frank and open” question and answer session following the talk, but despite a large press presence, the press were not selected to ask questions.
Confronted on Amnesty’s claims as he left the chamber, he made no comment.
In his speech, Mr Musharraf said Pakistan needed “understanding and assistance instead of criticism” in it bid to tackle terror.
