Rights campaigners briefed on 100-day agenda
Human rights stakeholders were briefed on the 100-day agenda of the National Commission for Human Rights (NCHR) at the Commission’s launch event organised with the support of European Union (EU) funded Huqooq-e-Pakistan project.
Parliamentarians, ambassadors, country heads of United Nations (UN) agencies and International Non-Governmental Organisations (INGOs), representatives of civil society organisations and government officials attended the event, which started with a minutes of silence for the victims of the Army Public School attack. Bishop Samuel Robert Azraya also attended the event.
The event also featured a mesmerising literary performance by famous artist and director Sarmad Khoosat, who recited Faiz Ahmad Faiz’s poem “Aaj Kay Naam” as well as poetry from Kishwar Naheed, Syeda Ayesha Hassan and Zehra Nigah.
In her welcome remarks, NCHR Chairperson Rabiya Javeri Agha said that despite serious financial, human resource, capacity and regulatory constraints, the Commission is all set to begin the challenging journey and looks forward to collaborating with stakeholders for the protection of human rights in the country.
“It is with great pride and honour that I would like to inform of the launching of NCHR after a gap of two years,” she said. “We are working with the guiding principles of inclusive leadership, empowerment of regional offices and fearlessly protecting human rights in Pakistan.”
The chairperson said that for the first 100 days, the Commission’s priority would be to commence the disposal of more than 1,734 pending complaints, review human rights legislation, draft human rights policy briefs and initiate work on independent reports and human rights research papers.
In addition to that, she said the Commission plans to conduct analysis of international treaties vis-a-vis domestic legislation besides developing a strategic plan, website and other social media platforms and start the Global Alliance of National Human Rights Institutions (GANHRI) accreditation process.
Published in The Express Tribune, December 18th, 2021.