Islamabad: Renowned social worker and human rights activist Naeem Sadiq challenged the impact of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (HR) on its 75th anniversary in Pakistan, highlighting the harsh realities faced by the country's most vulnerable.
As the nation commemorates this global pledge, Sadiq urges collective reflection, calling on society to acknowledge its role in depriving the poorest and neediest of their basic human rights.
Demanding apologies for egregious injustices, Sadiq points to thousands of child labourers in Karachi earning Rs13,000/month, victims of governmental wage theft. He also addresses overworked private security guards receiving less than half the legal minimum wage for 12-hour shifts and 400,000 petrol pump employees enduring 24-hour shifts, paid less than one third of the legal salary.
Highlighting the plight of 70 million workers whose futures were shattered due to non-registration with EOBI and the tragic toll on Shangla village, where over 50 lives are lost annually in unsafe coal mines due to compromised inspections.
Sadiq exposed the stark contrast between the celebration of Human Rights Day by the rich and the continued suffering of the marginalized, emphasizing the urgent need for systemic change. On Pakistan's Human Rights Day, Naeem Sadiq's impassioned plea serves as a call to action, challenging the nation to live up to the principles of the Universal Declaration and ensure that human rights are not just celebrated annually but safeguarded for every citizen, regardless of their status or circumstances.