Christian Solidarity Worldwide (CSW) has appealed to the government of Pakistan to provide protection for human rights activists following the murder of social activist Zafar Lund.
Lund was shot dead outside his residence in Kot Addu, Punjab Province, in Pakistan on Thursday. He was the chief executive officer of Hirrak Development Centre, an organization devoted to human rights, conservation of bio diversity and community development.
CSW's South Asian Team Leader, Steven Selvaraj said, "CSW urges the Pakistani government to consult with civil society with regards to what security measures can be implemented for their greater protection, and to ensure that the perpetrators of these crimes are not treated with impunity."
In a written statement to the UN Human Rights Council last year, CSW noted that violence had been on rise in Pakistan targeted towards defenders of human rights and other social activists.
It was also highlighted that the activists lived under constant threat, due to their work, from state and non state entities. Among the measures, CSW urged the Pakistani government to honour its obligations under the constitution and international treaties to safeguard human rights and those defending them.
Lund, also a promoter of local Saraiki culture has been one among the many casualties in the extremist environment faced by activists. In May earlier this year a well known human rights defender Khurram Zaki was assassinated by gunmen in Karachi in Pakistan.