All parties must reach consensus on joint charter of human rights: Babar

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) leader Farhatullah Babar has said 2018 is election year and all political parties should reach consensus in their manifestos on a joint charter of human rights.

Speaking at a consultative session, organised by the Human Right Commission of Pakistan (HRCP) here on Monday, he said protection of fundamental rights and freedom of expression should be on top of the list in their manifestoes.

Babar said freedom of expression was fundamental as without it the entire regime of human rights is threatened and gravely undermined. He said civil society could play a crucial role in defending human rights only if there was a freedom of expression of association and of peaceful assembly. However, their space and that of human rights defenders was shrinking. He said political parties could also point out human rights problems and also pledge to solve them. However, when a defacto state oversteps the authority of a real state, it becomes very difficult for them to fulfil these pledges. IA Rehman, Afrasiab Khattak, Senator Mir Kabir Shahi, Farzana Nari and Zafarullah Khan, executive director PIPS, also addressed the gathering.