FO terms UN rights chief’s 27th Amendment concerns ‘baseless’

Says ground realities not reflected in statement

ISLAMABAD:

The Foreign Office on Sunday rejected what it termed a “baseless” statement by United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk expressing concerns over the 27th Constitutional Amendment.

A day earlier, Turk had cautioned that Pakistan’s hurried constitutional amendments “seriously undermine judicial independence, and raise grave concerns about accountability and respect for the rule of law”.

A press release issued by the FO on Sunday said Pakistan rejected the “baseless” statement.

“Pakistan notes with deep concern the ungrounded and misplaced apprehensions aired on behalf of the UN high commissioner for human rights regarding the 27th Constitutional Amendment adopted by the two-third majority of the parliament of Pakistan,” the statement by the FO said.

“Like all parliamentary democracies, all legislation as well as any amendment to the Constitution remain the exclusive domain of the elected representatives of the people of Pakistan,” it added.

The FO noted that democracy and democratic methods “form the bedrock of civil and political rights, and therefore must be respected”.

“The constitutional amendments adopted by the parliament of Pakistan followed due procedures as enshrined in Pakistan’s Constitution,” the FO statement said,
It added that Pakistan remained “fully committed to protecting, promoting and upholding human rights, human dignity, basic freedoms and the rule of law” as enshrined in the Constitution.