Govt committed to ensuring rights of citizens: minister

Apprises EU envoy of the various initiatives taken to protect human rights

ISLAMABAD: The government of Pakistan is committed to ensuring the rights of all the citizens as envisaged under the Constitution as well as the international commitments.

Federal Minister for Human Rights Mumtaz Ahmed Tarar said this during a meeting with Ambassador of the European Union to Pakistan Jean Francois Caution on Friday.

The two sides discussed different legislative measures taken by the government of Pakistan for the protection of human rights, said a press release issued by the Ministry of Human Rights.

The ambassador specifically asked about the EU project, “Promotion of Human Rights in Pakistan”.



Tarar replied that the project was under consultation with different ministries and two high-level meetings had been held in this regard, one of which was chaired by the prime minister while the other by the foreign minister.

The minister informed the ambassador that the ministry had set up district committees to monitor human rights situation in the country.

“The Action Plan for Human Rights, approved by the Prime Minister of Pakistan on February 13 2016, has been implemented and National Task Force (NTF) and Provincial Task Forces (PTFs) have also been established to monitor implementation on the action plan for human rights,” the minister said.



He added that a project titled, Helpline 1099, had also been launched to provide legal advice to poor victims of human rights violations. He said the Ministry of Human Rights had initiated public awareness campaign on human rights education and sensitisation under the action plan.

The minister informed the ambassador that the government of Pakistan had ratified seven core Human Rights Conventions – ICERD, CEDAW, CRC, ICESCR, ICCPR, CAT and CRPD – which showed strong commitment of the government to the promotion and protection of human rights in the country.

Recently, the minister said, the parliament passed National Commission on the Rights of the Child Act, 2017 and Hindu Marriage Act, 2017, while the Ministry of Human Rights drafted ICT Child Protection and Welfare Bill, 2016, which was passed by the National Assembly’s Standing Committed on Human Rights.