Senator Mushahid elected vice president of IPU human rights body

Hussain becomes first parliamentarian from Pakistan to be elected to high-level office of key IPU body

Senator Mushahid Hussain Sayed, representing Asia in the Committee of Human Rights for Parliamentarians (CHRP) of the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU), unanimously secured the position of vice president during the committee's meeting in Geneva, it was revealed on Sunday.

Ms Millie Odhiambo of Kenya was elected as president of the body.

Senator Mushahid's appointment marks a historic moment as he becomes the first parliamentarian from Pakistan to hold a high-ranking office within a key body of the IPU, a global organisation that represents parliamentary bodies worldwide.

Senator Mushahid Hussain and Ms Millie Odhiambo. PHOTO: ipu.org

Two years prior, at the IPU General Assembly in Rwanda, Hussain was elected as a member of the CHRP, distinguishing himself as the sole Asian member in the crucial 10-member committee.

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The senator has served as a member of the Senate Human Rights Committee. Notably, he previously led the Pakistan delegation to the United Nations Human Rights Commission in Geneva.

In the year 2000, the senator's dedication to human rights was acknowledged when he was declared a 'Prisoner of Conscience' by the London-based organisation, 'Amnesty International.' This recognition stemmed from his unjustified detention without any charges for 440 days, making him the sole Pakistani political prisoner to receive such an honor at that time.

The senator continues to actively champion various causes on the international stage. He serves as the convenor of the Pakistan Parliamentary Forum on PKR (Palestine, Kashmir & Rohingya) and holds a position on the executive board of the Istanbul-based 'Al Quds Parliament,' where he supports the Palestine cause.