Authorities urged to ensure protection of human rights

MANSEHRA: Participants of a workshop held in the erstwhile tribal belt of Torghar on Tuesday emphasised the need for government functionaries to ensure the protection of human rights during the execution of development projects and policy-making.

“Article 25 of the country’s constitution states that all citizens are equal before the law and are entitled to its equal protection without any discrimination of gender,” Muhammad Haroon, the assistant director and resource person of the Directorate General of Law and Human Rights Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, told participants of the workshop.

The one-day event was jointly organised by the Directorate General of Law and Human Rights Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, the district administration and the Sungi Development Foundation and attended by officials from various departments, human rights activists, and representatives from local governments and civil society organisations.

“The relevant provisions in our constitution guarantee the protection and promotion of human and women’s rights in every sphere of life which we need to preserve in the policy-making process too,” Haroon added.

Abdul Nawaz, the additional deputy director of the Directorate General of Law and Human Rights, highlighted human rights violations, particularly against women at the grassroots level throughout the province.

“The district administration and police should join hands to eradicate crimes against marginalised segments of society in Torghar,” he said.Speaking on the occasion, Shahid Aziz, the Regional Coordinator of the Sungi Development Foundation said that their organisation in collaboration with the Pakistan Poverty Alleviation Fund had launched the Building Climate Resilience Project in Torghar.