Access denied: Ministers refuse to meet with HR delegates

Representatives of FIDH highlight rising faith-based discrimination.

ISLAMABAD:

A four-member delegation of the Paris-Based International Federation for Human Rights (FIDH) — the world’s oldest human rights body was unsuccessful in meeting ministers and top officials working on Human Rights issues in Pakistan members of the mission said here on Wednesday.

Addressing a press conference organised by the Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP) on the State of Religious minorities in Pakistan, challenges and response, the delegation said they could not meet with officials and ministers during their visit.

Shawan Jabarin from Palestine said that the mission had earlier met with the chief justice of Pakistan, lawyers, politicians and other organisations but could not meet with the ministers and top elected officials of the country. When asked why they were denied access, the official said, “I don’t know”.

Jabarin said that there is space for development for which political will was essential. He said that it was the responsibility of the state to provide security without religious discrimination. He said that he would like to ask the unapproachable officials as to why they are not performing their duties. “You have an office and authority, we would like to see you perform,” he said.

“Human rights needed stronger policies and greater implementation,” he added.

Disappointed by the prevailing human rights situation, where the pattern of religious discrimination is on the rise, Rosemarie Trajano from the Philippines said, “This is a heartbreaking mission for us.”

While presenting preliminary findings of the report, Trajano said that the findings reveal that faith-based discrimination is on the rise in Pakistan. Moreover, the culture of fear, particularly among the youth, was also on the rise and was encouraging several youngsters to change their names in order to avoid hurt and suffering.

Trajano said that they will include the issues of devolution and the EU’s capability to assist in training provincial governments in capacity building and training. Moreover, they insisted that human rights defenders monitor and push mechanisms to develop a civil registration system.

Paris-Based FIDH is the world’s oldest human rights body, an NGO with a membership of 178 organisations operating in over 100 countries.

Published in The Express Tribune, January 30^th, 2014.