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Thursday March 28, 2024

Independent minorities rights commissions stressed

LAHORESouth Asia Partnership-Pakistan has been struggling and demanding under Reat (Rights to Expression, Association and Thoughts) Network and with the support of civil society organisations for the establishment of minorities tights commissions at the federal and provincial levels for last two years. The breakthrough in this regards is that

By our correspondents
October 23, 2015
LAHORE
South Asia Partnership-Pakistan has been struggling and demanding under Reat (Rights to Expression, Association and Thoughts) Network and with the support of civil society organisations for the establishment of minorities tights commissions at the federal and provincial levels for last two years.
The breakthrough in this regards is that after the consensus building with the civil society organisations, draft bills on minorities rights commissions at National and Provincial levels are handed over to the committees formed on the members of national and provincial assemblies and they will table these draft bills for legislation at the upcoming session of the assemblies .
This was stated by speakers, Irfan Mufti, Deputy Director and Naeema Malik , National Manager Advocacy, SAP-Pakistan and programme Coordinator Rana Kashif
They were addressing at a meeting on “Need for the establishment of Minority Rights Commissions in Pakistan” was held at a local hotel on Thursday and was followed by a media briefing on the importance of legislating and establishment of religious minorities Rights Commissions.
They emphasised on the point that these commissions should have independent and powerful status to deal with the issues of religious minorities, their rights, protection and safeguard and must be passed with the approval of the parliament and not through any notification.
Talking about the objectives of the minorities Rights Commissions, they highlighted the importance of commissions for minorities rights and said that there is a need to aware people on the issues and hatred are being faced by the religious minorities due to the ignorance.
They said the existing situation of religious minorities in each and every part of the country, particularly in terms of Peshawar and Lahore church attacks, attacks against Ahemadi community, desecration of temples in Sindh, Joseph colony, Gojra, Banbanwala, Kot Radha Kishan, and many other such incidents require the establishment of such minorities commissions that can help protect and promote the rights of religious minorities.
They elaborated the need of these commissions and told the media persons that Pakistan is bound under the Constitution of Pakistan, which provides guarantees for the equal rights of citizens belonging to religious minorities, to protect and promote the rights of non-Muslim Pakistanis.
Pakistan has ratified seven core human rights treaties specially International Covenants on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR ) and the Declaration on the rights of persons belonging to National and Ethnics, Religious and Linguistics Minorities that require to ensure the protection of the rights of religious minorities.
They gave the reference of Supreme Court of Pakistan’s judgment of June 2014 necessitates the construction of a body that frame and monitor policy recommendations for the practical realization of constitutional and legal protections and safeguards for the religious minorities ,they are demanding the establishment of minorities Rights commissions, that can help and protect their rights.
This was emphasised that the ruling Party has promised the establishment of such commission in its party manifesto and when National Commission on Human Rights, National Commission on the Status of Women and Child Rights commission can be established under the Act of the Parliament or through notifications, why not a commission for the minorities that could help to do the following points: Protect and promote the minorities rights, review the laws over the issues concerning them.
Monitor the implementation of existing laws concerning rights of minorities. Commission could help share the burden of the business of National commission for Human Rights, and could works as an independent body to safeguard their rights, could investigate the complaints concerning the violation of the rights of minorities Commission could help to promote a soft image of Pakistan in the entire world that at what extent Pakistan is serious to protect the rights of its non-Muslim citizens and the commissions help religious minorities develop an understanding that they have the true representation in assemblies.
The speakers Samamson Salamat (CHRG ), Petre Josaph Director (CLLAS), Niouman Hamid National Coordinator World Council or Religions , and Deputy Editor Rifat Alam and others addressed at the media briefing and highlighted the importance establishing powerful and independent minorities Rights commissions which could protect the minorities rights and safeguard for them.