Belgian envoy hails law on minority rights

Islamabad : Ambassador of the Kingdom of Belgium to Pakistan Idesbald Van der Gracht on Friday appreciated Pakistan’s positive reform trajectory and welcomed the recent enactment of the National Commission for Minority Rights Act, 2025, which establishes a statutory body to safeguard the rights of religious minorities.

He also expressed Belgium’s continued support for Pakistan’s efforts to strengthen democratic institutions, protect vulnerable communities, and advance social justice.

The ambassador was speaking to Federal Minister for Law & Justice and Human Rights Senator Azam Nazeer Tarar during a meeting here.

They agreed to reaffirm the strong and friendly ties and vowed to continue close collaboration in areas of mutual interest, particularly in promoting human rights, legal development and inclusive policy reform.

The meeting reflected the mutual desire to strengthen cooperation in the fields of law, human rights and governance.

The minister highlighted recent legislative reforms, including over 110 amendments to the Criminal Procedure Code, aimed at improving access to justice for ordinary citizens. These reforms reflect the government’s strong commitment to legal modernization and inclusive governance.

He also informed the Ambassador about the recently enacted Islamabad Capital Territory Child Marriage Restraint Act, 2025 which sets the minimum age of marriage at 18 for both boys and girls.

This legislation represents a significant step toward aligning Pakistan's legal framework with international child rights standards, and efforts are underway to encourage similar reforms across all provinces.

The minister also addressed the findings of the Global Gender Gap Report 2025, expressing concern that the data presented does not fully or accurately reflect the realities on the ground, owing to methodological limitations and gaps in data collection.

To address this, the Ministry is actively engaging in consultations with relevant stakeholders, research institutions and development partners to identify and correct disparities in national data.

The collaborative approach aims to ensure that future reporting is based on comprehensive and verified indicators, aligned with the progress being made across sectors.

The minister said discussions were ongoing in Parliament regarding a potential policy shift on the death penalty, including consideration of a bill proposing life imprisonment in place of capital punishment for select offences.

This reflects the government’s openness to aligning national laws with evolving global human rights principles, he said.