CAT/C/PAK/CO/1 authorized to undertake full inquiries into reports of human rights violations by members of the armed forces. The Committee welcomes the significant increase in funding provided to the Commission. However, it is concerned that further resources, including personnel, are required for the Commission to effectively monitor respect for human rights throughout the country (arts. 2 and 12-13). 21. The State party should take immediate measures to ensure that the National Human Rights Commission is able to carry out its mandate fully and in an effective and independent manner, and in full conformity with the principles relating to the status of national institutions for the promotion and protection of human rights (the Paris Principles), including by allowing the Commission to meet in person with international human rights mechanisms abroad. The State party should strengthen the power of the Commission and ensure that it is able to investigate all cases of torture or ill-treatment committed by any entity carrying out arrests and detentions in the State party, including intelligence agencies and armed forces. The State party should also strengthen its efforts to provide the Commission with sufficient financial and human resources for it to carry out activities throughout the State party. Reprisals against and harassment, intimidation and arrest of human rights defenders, lawyers and journalists 22. The Committee is concerned about continued reports of intimidation and harassment, including physical attacks and administrative detention, of human rights defenders, lawyers and journalists and their family members. The reports include the cases of human rights defenders Waqas Goraya, Aasim Saeed, Salman Haider and Ahmad Raza Naseer, who were allegedly abducted by State agents in January 2017, and journalist Zeenat Shahzadi, who was allegedly subjected to enforced disappearance in August 2015. The Committee is also concerned by the lack of information provided by the State party concerning any investigations into such allegations (arts. 2, 12, 14 and 16). 23. The State party should take all the necessary measures to protect human rights defenders, lawyers and journalists from harassment and attacks, systematically investigate all reported instances of intimidation, harassment and attacks with a view to prosecuting and punishing perpetrators, and guarantee effective remedies to victims and their families, including in the above-mentioned cases. The State party should ensure that no person or organization is subjected to harassment or intimidation as a result of having published information concerning the State party’s compliance with its obligations under the Convention. Enforced disappearances 24. The Committee welcomes the State party’s cooperation with the Working Group on Enforced or Involuntary Disappearances, including receiving a visit in 2012. However, the Committee is concerned that enforced disappearance is not criminalized as a distinct offence in the State party. It is also concerned that hundreds of enforced disappearances have been reported in recent years in the State party and that the State party’s authorities have not taken adequate steps to investigate the reports and identify those responsible. The Committee is further concerned by reports that the national Commission of Inquiry on Enforced Disappearances is not sufficiently independent and lacks the resources to carry out its mandate. The Committee regrets that the work of the Commission has not yet resulted in any criminal prosecutions in cases of enforced disappearance (arts. 2, 12, 14 and 16). 25. The State party should ensure that enforced disappearance is a specific crime in domestic law, with penalties that take into account the grave nature of such disappearances. It should ensure that all enforced disappearances are thoroughly, promptly and effectively investigated, suspects are prosecuted and those found guilty are punished with sanctions proportionate to the gravity of their crimes. It should also take measures to strengthen the independence, resources and investigative capacity of the national Commission of Inquiry on Enforced Disappearances to enable it to fulfil its mandate effectively and independently. Furthermore, the State party should implement the advice of the Working Group on Enforced or Involuntary 6

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