Pakistan rejects U.S. report on human rights
(AP)
Updated: 2006-03-11 14:08

Pakistan rejected on Saturday a U.S. State Department report that said the government of President Gen. Pervez Musharraf had a poor human rights record.

Pakistan's foreign ministry called the report "unwarranted" and said Pakistan was committed "to the promotion and protection of the rights of all segments of society."

The report on human rights conditions during 2005 was released Wednesday, only days after U.S. President George W. Bush visited Islamabad and praised Musharraf for Pakistan's efforts in fighting terrorism.

"We reject the contentions made in the report regarding our political process, freedoms available under the law and our Constitution, functioning of state institutions, and general conditions relating to the rights and status of women and minorities," the foreign ministry said in a statement.

The ministry said the report lacked objectivity and had failed to recognize steps the government had taken to promote and protect human rights.

Pakistan, a key ally of the United States in its war on terror, has long been accused by international and domestic groups of violating rights and restricting political parties and the media.

The State Department report gave many examples of what it described as rights abuses, and said the Pakistani government's human rights record was "poor, and serious problems remained."

It referred to restrictions on the right of citizens to change their government, unlawful killings, torture, rape, poor prison conditions, lack of judicial independence, harassment, intimidation and arrest of journalists.