Torture  is becoming alarmingly common in our society. Although very little authentic data is available, some of the broader forms of torture are identifiable such as making the accused to walk or sit on a sharp object, pulling the teeth and nails with forceps, be dragged by hairs, simultaneously beating of both ears with the palms, chopping off ears, nose and fingers. In some cases victims are forced to walk naked and sometimes are also sexualyl abused . ‘Third Degree’ is common in Police Stations, Judicial lock ups, jails and cells, which means use of the worst forms of torture to extract information from the accused.
Torture, physical violence, and negligence of Rule of Law are the matter of grave concern for the global community, which indeed led the United Nations to draft and subsequently pass the Code of Conduct for Law Enforcement Officials. United Nations has also urged the state parties to devolve Code of Conduct for Law enforcement officials, along the lines of the UN Code, in their respective countries . A Convention Against Torture (CAT) has also been passed.
Pakistan has not yet ratified CAT, However the constitution of Pakistan does not permit any form of turture. Law enforcement agencies needed to realize their role and responsibilities in this regard. SEHER with the financial and technical support of the OXFAM GB embarked on a pilot project of Torture on women in police custody  (TWPC) with the intention and hope that based on learning from the pilot phase long term and full-fledged intervention would be initiated in all those districts of Balochistan , where torture incidences are most frequent.

Capacity Building of Staff
Training of Trainer (TOT) on “Ending Torture against Women in Police Custody” is conducted by Oxfam GB in Islamabad and SEHER’s two Master Trainers were imparted mandatory training to further replicate the training to the implementing team and staff. Accordingly, the Master Trainers replicated the trainings to implementing Team and SEHER staff by adapting the training contents in local perspective.

Consensus Building Meetings
In its work with communities SEHER has often encountered individuals who have different values and contradictory assessments of political and economic impacts. In response to this complexity it is SEHER’s practice to hear and accommodate all points of view and take decisions through cooperation and participation so as to build community trust and ownership in the project.  This ensures commitment and smooth implementation.

Keeping in view the importance of consensus building, SEHER team held several consensus building meeting with the key players which includes:

Consensus building meeting with Nazim Sibi
Support from Local Government Officials is necessary for any project’s success therefore a meeting was held with the Nazim Sibi for consensus building and seeking his support for the project activities. The teams sensitized the Nazim on the issue of torture and its overall impact towards the society. The Nazim Sibi ensured his full support when and where required. 

Consensus building meeting with Nazim Chiltan Town Quetta
A meeting was held with the Nazim Chiltan Town for consensus building on the project, the team shared the Program and its objectives. It was evident that the Nazim felt the need of the project and ensured his all support to end torture on women in police Custody.

Consensus building meeting with SEHER Sibi Partners
SEHER has developed a network of five NGO’s by the name of HANI Network , whom SEHER developed, trained strengthened and kept involve in the implementation of its project ending violence against women, and eventually developed a collective platform with the name of  HANI Network which later on proved SEHER’s key ally in implementing the EVAW project.

Consensus building meeting with SEHER Quetta Partners
SEHER being right organization, involves gross root level organization in advocacy and capacity building interventions in human, women and children rights. In this regard some of the organization went through rigorous process and proved their commitment with the process and become partner  with SEHER.

Capacity Building of Law Enforcing Agencies Officials on UN-Code of Conduct:
Under MOU, SEHER was eligible to impart training to the police officials in all districts and right from police stations to the Senior Police officials. In this regard only 4 trainings (2 in Sibi and 1 each in Chiltan Town and Zarghoon Town) but IG and Addl. IG suggested that the sequence of trainings may be organized at the institutional level rather than a one or two time training of some personnel so that the performance of the entire institution may improve. Therefore, Trainings were redesigned and police station are focused in this it went to many more police stations and police personal. In this regard the following trainings are imparted:

Training of Police Senior Police and Jail Authorities:
Apart from focused elaboration of “Code of conduct” a separate session was to improve conditions of the detention i.e. police stations lockup and Jails barracks. In training of police officers and prisons staff was conducted for the staff of both agencies the participants were of AIG, DIG, Add IG, SSP Police and IG, DIG and superintendents jails. Altogether 40 such senior officials went through this training and ensured that they would not only ensure the practice of code of conduct by their subordinates but would also improve the detention places.

Training at Sibi Police Stations
Four trainings were conducted in the respected police stations of Sibi with special focus on “Ending Torture Against Women in Police Custody.” The Police Stations were imparted one day orientation on torture and Ending violence against Women in which  SHO, ASHO, SI, ASI, Head Constables and Constables were the participants of the sessions.

Signing of MOU with the Police Department
In continuation of SEHER’s efforts to address human rights issues of the vulnerable segments of society, it was deemed appropriate to involve the key stakeholders and institutionalize the training process. In this context SEHER initiated a series of dialogues with the Law Enforcing Agencies, the key players in ensuring that the respect and rights of the citizen is protected. To ensure their cooperation SEHER sought a formal Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between SEHER and the Police Department in Balochistan. After several meetings a first draft was shared with the concerned officials. A final draft was agreed upon after feedback from the concerned officials.. The MOU was officially signed on May 22nd 2007. In a very high profile meeting chained by IG Police presentation on “code of conduct for Law Enforcing Officials” is made by advocate General Balochistan while 40 senior official none was bellow SSP rank. This breakthrough was vital as it paved the way for SEHER and the Police Officials for drafting their own Code of Conduct and submitting it to the National Level for finalization. It also ensured full cooperation of the Police department in SEHER’s extensive police training program on issues of violence, torture, and responsibilities of law enforcement agencies.

Training of Saddar Circle (Saddar & Brewry Police Stations)
One of the main purpose of the training and the MoU was to focus on the front line police staff i.e. Police Station level. In this regards the first training was  imparted to the Saddar Circle (Saddar & Brewry Police Stations) in which DSP, SHO, SI’s, ASI’s, Constable’s and Head Constable’s of the respective  Police Stations participated and went through concept of Gender, violence and UN-code of conduct for Law Enforcing Officials.

Training of Sariab Circle (Sairab & Industrial Police Stations)
SEHER teams organized training on “Code of Conduct for Law Enforcement Officials”
for Sariab Circle (Sairab & Industrial Police Stations) which was attended by  SHO, ASHO, SI’s, ASI’s, Constable’s and Head Constable of both Police Stations. They expressed that they would ensure the practical implementation of the CCLEO in their police stations all their dealing with prisoners in general and with women in particular.

Training of Gawal Mandi Circle (Gawal Mandi & Satellite Town  Police Station)
Sariab Circle training was followed by training of Gawal Mandi Circle (Gawal Mandi & Satellite Town Police Station) on “Code of Conduct for Law Enforcement Officials” in which, SHO, ASHO, SI’s, ASI’s, Constable’s and Head Constable of Gwalmandi and Satalite Town Police Station participated. The participants shared that they never realized the rights of those who are in the custody, however, now they would take care of the rights of detainees in their custody.

Training of City Circle (City and Quaid Abad Police Stations)
Last but not least training was organized for City Circle (City and Quaid Abad Police Stations) on “Code of Conduct for Law Enforcement Officials” in which, only SI’s, ASI’s, Constable’s and Head Constable of the City Police participated.  The staff of Quaid Abad Police Stations staff could not participate because were engaged is security duties due to a political procession.

Sensitization Workshops on Ending Torture Against women in Police Custody:
Torture is not only sensitive topic but complex phenomena, because its not only police who does torture, many more state institutions are also involved in it, even in some of the cases these are other powerful state institutions and/or. Politicians/parliamentarians, who force police to do torture on their opponents. Therefore, it was thought appropriate to have sensitization workshops for police executive and parliamentarians. In this regard following high profile sensitization workshops are organized:  

Sensitization Workshop for Parliamentarians (MPAs, MNAs, Senators) on ETAWOC
Pakistan is one of those countries which have not singed CAT.  It was therefore felt that parliamentarians need to be sensitized on the need to do so.  With this in view a workshop was held for parliamentarians. in which they were exposed with the concepts of Gender, Violence, issues/violence women are facing in general in police custody in particular. They were also exposed with the united nations code of conduct for law enforcing officials. Parliamentarians expressed their feelings in this regard and ensured their full support in this regard. 

Workshop for Journalist, Lawyers and CSO’s on ETAWOC
Civil Society Organization, including the Lawyers and Journalists can play pivotal role in ratifying the CAT.  In this context, a sensitization workshop for Journalist, Lawyers and CSO’s was held to which selected Journalist, Lawyers and CSOs were called who could possibly form a support group in the future to influence Government to take bold steps and ratify CAT and promulgate rules of business in compliance with CAT, So that torture could be end in state institutions, including in detention centers and lockups. Participants appreciated the initiative and ensured their support and cooperation in this regard.

Sensitization Workshops for Police Executives
Keeping the requirements of the MoU SEHER organized a high profile sensitization workshop for Police Executives i.e. Additional Inspector General, DIGs, AIGs, SSPs. The seminar was chaired by Inspector General Police Balochistan Mr. Tariq Mahmood Khosa and facilitated by Mr. Salahuddin Mengal, Advocate General Balochistan. Inspector General of Police ensured that he will ensure the learning of code of conduct implementation in lockups and detention.

Sensitization Workshops for senior officers on ETAWPC
Another requirement of the MOU was to hold a workshop for Senior Police Official so that senior police officials could be supportive of the trainings at the police station level. In this context a Workshop for senior officers (ASP’s, SP’s, DSP’s) on Code of Conduct for Law Enforcement Officials (including torture)  was conducted in which more then 20 senior police officers participated and ensured their full help and cooperation for not only ensuring the learning of code of conduct at lower tier of police force but smooth and inclusive trainings of all staff of the police stations.

Media Monitoring
Media Monitoring is very powerful tool to analyze the situation of violation of basic rights of the people, nature and intensity of the violence/Torture so it could be used for police advocacy. Having this vision in the mind SEHER started monitoring the media. Media Monitoring was an essential component of the project and it had primarily three components:
In order to record incidence of violence and torture. Cases highlighted in the news papers regarding Torture/violence were recorded. Summary of Media Monitoring  is given bellow. 

• Extra Judicial Arrests: SEHER media monitoring team recorded that about 174 people were unlawfully arrested.  According to some other sources, notably political parties,   claim that about 8000 people have disappeared and their whereabouts remain unknown to date.
• Reported cases of violence/torture: SEHER’s media monitoring revealed some alarming facts reflected bellow:
  o          1 female was fired upon while the police entered in her house.
  o          While in an operation about 27 people were reported killed and 43 were severely injured.
  o          47 people were reported killed by bombardment which included 7 females, 5 children and 35 males.
  o          In another general statement 24 kids and women are reported killed by bombardment and 24 dead bodies of women and children found bearing signs of severe torture.
  o          The news agency also report that 3 women were held in house custody by the law enforcement agencies for more then 2 hours.
• Killings in the name of honor: According to SEHER media monitoring the horrific custom of Honor Killing in some part of Balochistan, took the lives of 7 women and 6 men in the name of honor, culture and tradition. These are only cases appeared in the Media while it is believed that over 90% cases of such killings never get reported.
• General Kidnapping: At least 13 people were kidnapped for ransom out of which one was a women and one was a child.
• General Killings over disputes: A total number of 32 cases of general violence/killings is recorded out of which 8 were women.

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