The UN is a multilateral body with its main aim to assure another world war does not occur for future generations. Over the years international diplomacy has developed conventions, acts, bills, rules, and much more literature in regards to the benefit of humanity.
Without pointing fingers at the bullies of the world courts, let us examine a legal description and what is befitting to it.
Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court
As per Article 7, Crimes Against Humanity, any of the following acts when committed as part of a widespread or systematic attack directed against any civilian population, with knowledge of the attack.
Elements of the crime do not need to be linked to an armed conflict and can also occur in peacetime. Subsection 1(a, b, e, f) – Murder; Extermination; Imprisonment or other severe deprivation of physical liberty in violation of fundamental rules of international law; Torture.
Article 8, War Crimes and Subsection 2(b)(i) states that intentionally directing attacks against the civilian population as such or against individual civilians not taking direct part in hostilities. Subsection 2 (b)(v) says attacking or bombarding, by whatever means, towns, villages, dwellings, or buildings that are undefended and which are not military objectives.
Whilst reading the law stated above, found on the UN commission website(s), a lot of names tend to be obvious.
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Let us examine exactly who fits these descriptions
1 – George W. Bush: Iraq war (expanded into Afghanistan). The response to 9/11 an operation carried out by Saudi individuals was directed towards a terrorist group, and Saddam apparently. This cost civilian lives, destruction of infrastructure, and major displacement of locals.
2 – Bush – Trump: Afghanistan has suffered immense loss, with its backlash being faced by Pakistan. Afghanistan now might have finally gotten back its old method of control, but the presence of Americans during these tenures was nothing but war crimes.
3 – Bush – Obama: Pakistan suffered drone strikes on civilian populations continuously for years. Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA) has had the worst end to this ordeal.
4 – Narendra Modhi – Kashmiris are imprisoned, murdered, tortured, and exterminated. I believe the only person since Hitler to fulfill most definitions of Crimes Against Humanity
5 – Nawaz Sharif & Co – Blatant attack on civilians via hooligans in police uniforms, with point-blank shots at their own community.
6 – Netanyahu – If anyone wrote the law, they kept Netanyahu in mind, for there must’ve been someone who had committed every crime known to humanity for them to write against, and yet, he enjoyed power and resources whilst constantly torturing, killing, and imprisoning civilians in Palestine.
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7 – Muammar Gaddafi was issued a red notice from Interpol and ICC (International Criminal Court) ordered the apprehension of Gaddafi for crimes against humanity – this was in relation to revolutions and uprisings in Libya.
There are many more one can name, but our focus is on these people for a particular reason.
Politicians who are hiding under British protection
If a student is apprehended on the basis of a petty crime or does not attend 70% of his classes, he/she is immediately handed a notice to leave the country in 25 days.
Nawaz Sharif, Altaf Hussain, Saif-ur-Rehman (Qatari Protected), Ishaq Dar; are all known for looting the nation of its taxes, committing treason, including the killings and destruction they have assisted alongside foreign forces. Yet, the British government has not seized their assets, nor seized the money they have stolen from the people of Pakistan. Worst of all, they have not even apprehended them.
Nawaz Sharif left for medical treatment for a maximum of 8-12 weeks, and it’s been over 1 year. He has been escaping accountability ever since. Yet we see him attending his grandson’s marriage of convenience so that the money Saif Ur Rahman stole with Nawaz Sharif, “stays within the family”.
Read more: Nawaz Sharif returning to save Pakistan or is UK deporting him?
The two questions that arise from these circumstances are: Did Imran Khan’s government not know, or did not utilize all the forums available for an international warrant for arrest? And, why did the British government harbor political criminals abroad, on their soil, whilst being so adamant to make life hell for international students and workers?
Such activities give weightage to the old term, “money makes the mare go”.
Law must take a course of action
Crimes against humanity should be as simple as ridding people of their fundamental rights. It should be concentrated and integrated within the system of Pakistan.
The constitution of Pakistan has every available section of power and executions but throughout Art. 41 – 100, the word “Prime Minister” is mentioned only 33 times without any mention of his powers and roles.
Hence, we must take into consideration of the Head Of States’ duties and powers, who has been described as merely an adviser to the President.
Laws must be reviewed, coinciding with the infrastructure and societal mindset present.
Read more: The brutal realities of Pakistan’s institutions
Fines, pay-outs, prison time, these are things that have to be inculcated in the mechanism of checks & balances. We cannot under any circumstances allow Ministers to live prosperously abroad with every penny declared stolen, whilst families in Pakistan still put flowers on their beloved’s graves.
The law has been defined with minor loopholes and misused by every government in existence. What the law of the world shows in theory, and what the world is real, is a sham and an excuse to the belief in the Rule of Law. Many Heads of State owe many nations at least reparations. Yet, they continue to live comfortably in their “silver bubbles”, as free criminals abroad.
The author is a practicing lawyer in Pakistan, with his higher education successfully completed in London, UK. He provides digital legal services @legalopinion1 and tweets at @AsadAHussain1. The views expressed in the article are the author’s own and do not necessarily reflect the editorial policy of Global Village Space.