HRCP briefing on Pakistan’s UN human rights engagements

Lahore :Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP) and Center for Social Justice (CSJ) held a media briefing on “Pakistan’s UN Human Rights Engagements” on Friday. 

Najam ud Din, I A Rehman of HRCP, Reema Omer, International Commission of Jurists and Peter Jacob, Center for Social Justice briefed the media. 

According to them, Pakistan ratified the UN Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment (CAT) in June 2010. An initial report on the implementation of the treaty was due one year later in July 2011.

However, Pakistan submitted its report in January 2016 after a delay of over four years. Now, Pakistan will have to ensure prohibition of torture.

They said Pakistan ratified the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR) in June 2010. An initial report on the implementation of the treaty was due one year later in October 2011. However, Pakistan submitted its report in October 2011 after a delay of four years.

The Human Rights Committee, the treaty-monitoring body composed of 18 independent experts that oversees states’ implementation of and compliance with the ICCPR, reviewed for the first time Pakistan’s human rights record under the Covenant on July 11 and  12. It issued its concluding observations along with its recommendations on July 27, 2017.

According to the speakers, on October 16, 2017, the UN General Assembly elected States to serve as members of the UN Human Rights Council from January 2018 to December 2020. From the Asia-Pacific region, five states – Pakistan, Nepal, Afghanistan, Qatar and Malaysia – had announced their candidacies for four vacant spots. All the candidates except from Malaysia were elected. Pakistan secured more than two-thirds of the votes.

They said, according to UN General Assembly Resolution 60/251, “When electing members of the Council, member states shall take into account the contribution of candidates to the promotion and protection of human rights and their voluntary pledges and commitments made thereto.” In support of its candidacy, Pakistan has submitted a written pledge.

They highlighted, Pakistan has served as a member of the Human Rights Council twice (2006-11 and 2013-15). In 2015, however, Pakistan was defeated in the Human Rights Council election and lost its membership. On November 13, 2017, Pakistan will undergo its third Universal Periodic Review (UPR).

The UPR is a unique mechanism of the Human Rights Council (HRC) aimed at improving the human rights situation in each of the 193 UN member states.

Under the mechanism, the human rights situation of all UN member states is reviewed every four to five years, and 42 states are reviewed each year during three working group sessions dedicated to 14 states each.