Youth torch-bearer of human rights protection: minister

LAHORE

Punjab Minister for Human Rights and Minorities Affairs Khalil Tahir Sandhu has said the Punjab government has taken different initiatives, along with effective legislation, to protect the rights of minorities living in the province.

In a statement issued here on Thursday, the minister said there is a need to change our social behaviours, as the division of human beings into different sections creates a sense of deprivation, which leads to extremism in society.

He said young generation of Pakistan is the torch-bearer of human rights protection, working towards eliminating discriminatory system which causes frustration and depression in society.

The minister said the Punjab government did legislation on underage marriages, implementing on 5 percent quota in government jobs for minorities, established Minorities Development Fund, disbursing education scholarships to the students of minorities and created interfaith harmony among different religions.

He said the chief minister approved to establish Human Rights Task Force, in which representation will be ensured to every segment of society.

As human beings “we should be equal when it comes to basic rights, eliminating prejudice and discrimination, consciously working to solve this problem as what we would do for God, we should do for human beings around us”, he concluded.

Nikah Registrars: Training of Nikah Registrars, Union Council chairmen and secretaries of Nankana Sahib district under project titled “Training of Nikah Registrars of Punjab” organised by Punjab Commission on the Status of Women in collaboration with Local Government and Community Development Department concluded.

Around 684 Nikah Registrars, 130 Union Council chairmen and secretaries of 65 Union Councils of the district participated in 28 sessions of this eight-day training held at five centres in different Union Councils. PCSW trainers trained the participants.

Chairperson PCSW Fauzia Viqar stated that Nikah Nama can play vital role in strengthening all stakeholders which must be filled accurately by following all laws and rights. She emphasised that the Nikah Registrar can provide safeguard against violation of any law by performing active and key role in whole procedure of filling and registration.

It will protect the pro-women laws also effectively at the beginning of new relationship at equal basis. The training was designed on different significant areas like Constitutional fundamental rights linkages with family rights, Muslim family laws with amendments, Nikah Nama, registration of marriage, dower, polygamy, responsibilities of Nikah Registrar, Child Marriage Restraint Act, dissolution of marriage, Talaaq, Khula’a and other grounds of divorce, arbitration council and birth registration.

For monitoring and evaluating the training, PCSW monitoring teams examined all the centres on regular basis to ensure the transparency and usefulness of the activity. Besides this, pre-test and post-test were held to weigh the information of the participants. In this regard, an exercise was composed to fill Nikah Nama as per laws.

They took great interest in the whole sessions and assured to obey all laws while filling the deed.

Booklets containing all relevant laws and rights were also distributed among all Nikah Registrars, chairmen, and secretaries of Union Councils.

flag march: Police held flag march from Mubarak Havelli to Karbala Gamay Shah with an objective to maintain peace in the city.

The police officials, including Dolphin Force and Police Response Unit (PRU), participated in the flag march.