Coordinated efforts required to improve overall human rights situation in Pakistan

Mon, February 12, 2018

Islamabad: Keeping in view the cross cutting nature of human rights, coordinated efforts of various social sector federal ministries and provincial departments are required to further improve the overall situation of human rights in the country.

These views were expressed by Federal Minister for Human Rights Mumtaz Ahmad Tarar, while chairing the third meeting of National Task Force on Human Rights held to review and monitor the implementation of National Action Plan.

Mumtaz Ahmad Tarar reviewed and monitored the implementation of national Action Plan aimed at further improving the situation of human rights in the country. Participants of the meeting also shared their progress update on implementation of the Action Plan.

After the welcome remarks by Secretary Ministry of Human Rights Rabiya Javeri Agha, the Director General Human Rights Muhammad Arshad briefed the participants about the prevailing human rights situation in the country and also highlighted the steps taken for the promotion and protection of human rights.

The meeting discussed in detail about the effective functioning of Provincial Task Forces to review and monitor the initiatives for promotion and protection of human rights, formulation of Provincial Strategies for implementation of Action Plan at the provincial level, review of legal framework for bringing amendments/new legislations in line with the Constitution of Pakistan and GOP’s national and international commitments.

Establishment of District Human Rights Committees to monitor the human rights situation at the grassroots level and Initiatives for human rights education, sensitization, awareness, research and communication for brining behavioral change in the society and promote tolerance and interfaith harmony also came under discussion.

Addressing the meeting, Minister for Human Rights shared that it’s been almost two years since the implementation of Action Plan started with the collaboration of federal ministries and provincial departments with Federal Ministry of Human Rights taking lead for its overall implementation. He shared with the members that institutional mechanisms have been put in place for promotion and protection of human rights both at federal and provincial level.

He said that National Task Force at the federal level having representation of Parliament members and relevant federal ministries are taking initiatives for implementation of the Action Plan and regularly sharing updated status on achievements. He said that Provincial Task Forces on Human Rights in Punjab, Sindh, Khyber Pakhtunkhaw and Balochistan have also been established having representation from provincial parliaments and relevant line departments.

Member National Assembly, Shahzadi Umarzadi Tiwana being Member of the National Task Force also participated in the meeting. Besides that, Secretary Ministry of Human Rights Rabiya Javeri Agha, Director General Human Rights, Muhammad Arshad, representatives from all provincial human rights departments and federal ministries attended the meeting.

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