ISLAMABAD: Pakistan dismissed on Sunday a warning by the UN rights chief of potential “far-reaching consequences” for the rule of law in granting the head of the all-powerful military legal immunity.
The foreign ministry said Pakistan was “fully committed to protecting... basic freedoms and the rule of law as enshrined in the constitution,” responding to criticism from UN rights chief Volker Turk.
A constitutional amendment approved by parliament earlier this month, shielding Field Marshal Asim Munir and other top officials from prosecution for life, has raised alarm among rights group.
The change also created a new Federal Constitutional Court, stripping the Supreme Court of some of its powers and tightening oversight of judges.
“These changes, taken together, risk subjugating the judiciary to political interference and executive control,” Turk said in a statement on Friday.
He warned of a risk of “far-reaching consequences for the principles of democracy and rule of law which the Pakistani people hold dear.”
In its Sunday statement, the foreign ministry in Islamabad called the remarks “baseless” and said “it is regrettable that Pakistan’s views and ground realities were not reflected.”
Pakistan, a nuclear-armed nation of more than 250 million people, has long struggled to balance civilian authority with the military’s role in politics.
Widely seen as Pakistan’s most powerful institution, the military has governed the country for nearly half its existence via a series of coups since independence in 1947.
Pakistan rejects UN warning over lifetime immunity for military chief
https://arab.news/ctbe5
Pakistan rejects UN warning over lifetime immunity for military chief
- A constitutional amendment approved by parliament earlier this month, shielding Field Marshal Asim Munir and other top officials from prosecution for life, has raised alarm among rights group
US playwright arrested in Japan for alleged drug smuggling: reports
- Harris was detained at Naha airport on November 16
- Customs officers found 0.78 grams of a substance containing the stimulant MDMA concealed in his bag
TOKYO: Prominent American playwright and actor Jeremy O. Harris has been arrested in Japan on suspicion of drug smuggling, according to local media reports.
Known for his Tony-nominated “Slave Play” and his appearance in the hit show “Emily in Paris,” Harris was detained at Naha airport on November 16, the Okinawa Times reported on Thursday.
Customs officers found 0.78 grams of a substance containing the stimulant MDMA concealed in the 36-year-old’s tote bag, according to the newspaper.
It was not clear whether Harris had been officially charged.
Japan has some of the world’s strictest drug laws, and possession of illegal narcotics can result in jail time.
Harris arrived in the southern Okinawa region on a flight from Taiwan, where he had a layover after flying from Britain, according to local broadcaster RBC.
He came to Japan for tourism, the broadcaster said.
“Slave Play” earned a record-breaking 12 Tony nominations in 2018, but did not win any awards.
Harris also serves as a co-producer of HBO’s popular series “Euphoria.”
