The disastrous misuse of Guantanamo Bay has once again come to the fore after a US-based Pakistani detainee Majid Shaukat Khan narrated his horrendous ordeal before a panel of US military jurors. Sleep deprivation, suspension from the ceiling while naked for long periods of time, waterboarding, administration of mashed food to him through his anus and sexual assaults were stated to be some of the torture techniques applied on him by the US authorities at the notorious jail. Despite the fact that he was willing to cooperate and confessed his crimes, he underwent unbearable torture for longer periods. From becoming a recruit of al Qaeda to his incarnation in Guantanamo back in 2003, his ordeal depicts the brutalities exercised by one of the most civilized societies in the world. On what moral grounds, does the US dictate its policies on those states who indulge in human rights violations across the world?
Lately, Majid’s confession and his plea bargain with the US government reduced his sentence. However he cannot return to Pakistan despite being a Pakistani citizen, but will be settled in a third unknown country. The US government should accept responsibility for what happened to him, just the way that he accepted responsibility for his actions and the actions of his co-conspirators. Majid’s ordeal reveals devastating atrocities committed by the US government in the name of national security and the latter needs to review its policy of treating war prisoners and those who are persecuted without any evidence. The fact remains that the justice system of the US also has inherent flaws and the most important thing is the continuation of the infamous Guantanamo Bay. Though, the Obama administration hinted at the closure of the jail, Trump halted progress on this process and now Biden has shown intention to start its closure procedure, yet tangible action has not been taken yet. The existence of Guantanamo Bay puts a question mark on the ability of the US government to define its abidance with the international law. Arguably, the CIA programme was a failure and contrary to the democratic principles and the rule of law. Only it is creating more recruits for terror outfits due to adherence to the inhumane torture techniques.
