Growing rights violations: Restoration of human rights ministry proposed

ISLAMABAD:

A Senate subcommittee has recommended the restoration of a full-fledged, independent human rights ministry to effectively handle human rights-related issues.

The subcommittee of the Senate’s Standing Committee on Human Rights made the recommendations at a meeting chaired by Senator Mushahid Hussain Sayed on Tuesday.

Senator Mushahid also recommended a journalist defence fund to help journalists victimised by violence and terrorism, and creating a ministry of disaster management because of the high number of internally displaced persons (IDPs) due to natural and man-made disasters.

The panel also suggested declaring the subject of human rights compulsory in all training institutes for law-enforcement agencies, including police, armed forces, intelligence and civil administration.

According to the subcommittee, a host of issues related to human rights are left unaddressed due to the absence of a ministry.

Mushahid, who is vocal about the rights of working journalists, said that the proposed fund would help media persons injured or targeted in the line of duty.

Published in The Express Tribune, July 17^th, 2013.