Mr. Afrasiab Khattak, Former Chairman, Human Rights Commission of Pakistan, has been a devoted political and human rights leader for many years. He was born in village Khadar Khel, in the Kohat District of Pakhtoonkhawa, on April 4, 1950. He graduated from Peshawar University with degrees in English Literature and Law. In 1968, during the popular uprising against the despotic dictatorship of Ayub Khan, Mr. Khattak, still a student, joined Pakhtoon Students’ Federation, a nationalist student body, and organized youth movements against the oppressive regime. He was also involved in opposing the military dictatorship of General Yahya Khan, and later, General Zia ul Haq. In 1970, he had to go into hiding to avoid being arrested for criticizing military action in East Pakistan. As provincial President of Pakhtoon Students’ Federation, Mr. Khattak opposed the unconstitutional dissolution of the provincial government in Balochistan in 1973, and was forefront in the struggle for national rights of the Baloch and Pakhtoon people. As a result, he was imprisoned for three years.

Mr. Afrasiab Khattak joined the Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP) in 1989, and served as the Vice Chairman of HRCP, Frontier, for 3 years. During this period he pleaded several cases in courts involving human rights violations. In April 1999, he was threatened by extremist sections for demonstrating against the so-called “honor” killing in Peshawar. On May 2, 1999, he was unanimously elected Chairperson of HRCP for a three-year-term. Mr. Khattak is a strong promoter of peace between Pakistan and India and is a member of Pakistan-India People’s Forum for Peace and Democracy, an NGO organization that works in both Pakistan and India. He has been a vocal advocate for the protection of rights of women and religious minorities in Pakistan.