Independent human rights commission by next year

Minister for Human Rights announces 10-day awareness raising campaign, International Human Rights Day on Dec 10.

LAHORE: A bill to establish an independent Human Rights Commission would be moved in the National Assembly during its next session, Federal Minister for Human Rights Syed Mumtaz Alam Gillani said on Sunday.

He said that the Standing Committee on Human Rights had already approved the bill, adding that the commission would be operational by next year.

He was visiting the South Asia Free Media Association to announce his plans for the International Human Rights Day on December 10.

Talking to The Express Tribune, Gillani’s staff officer said that the independent commission would consist of retired judges. He said that the commission would have special powers to deal with human rights violations.

Earlier, Gillani announced that there would be a 10-day awareness raising campaign in connection with the International Human Rights Day. The campaign, he said, would kick off with his visit to Sukkur on December 1. He said, during his Cholistan visit on December 3, he would meet the Hindu community and the children who had been used as camel jockeys in the Gulf countries. On December 5, he said he would visit the flood victims of Larkana. On December 7 and December 8, he would visit Quetta and Haripur respectively. On December 9 and December 10, he would attend seminars in connection with the day in Islamabad.

Gillani said district-level human rights committees would be launched on December 10 in a ceremony at the presidency. The committees, he said, would consist of journalists, civil society activists, lawyers and local representatives.

To a question about amending the blasphemy laws, he said that a committee had been formed for the purpose. “No one can tolerate blasphemy, but there should a transparent procedure in place for registration of cases to stop misuse of the law.”

The minister showed concern over the law and order situation in the Punjab. He said that the provincial government was selling the sugar it got from the federal government at up to Rs115 per kg.

Gillani also criticised the Danish School project. He said that there were no schools in many rural areas. In his district, he said, every other person was suffering from hepatitis, yet the provincial government was spending millions of rupees on setting up Danish Schools.

Published in The Express Tribune, November 29^th, 2010.