"Los desaparecidos of Pakistan"

There is a Pakistani journalist whose work I admire with the wonderful name of Ardeshir Cowasjee. He writes for the English language newspaper Dawn. In his latest column he writes about the excesses of both Pinochet and Castro and compares the situation under their regimes with present day Pakistan. His final paragraph:

The state is duty-bound, and honour-bound, to protect its citizens and to prevent and punish crimes and acts of terrorism, and to bring to justice the perpetrators of crimes and transgressions of the law. It is not supposed to discard the laws of the land in its own peculiar interests and it is not supposed to indulge in the gross violation of human rights guaranteed under its own and international law. It is not supposed to stamp its booted foot on the dignity of mankind.

Even if you don't believe that his view is typical for a Muslim country in some disarray and under the rule of an "authoritarian" leader, you have to admit - he lives in a country where he can say it in print.