Citizens’ rights: ‘Promote cultural diversity’

Highlight wide scope of covenant in the country.

ISLAMABAD: Speakers at a conference called for promotion of national languages and cultural values as they are integral part of identity.

“Our constitution guarantees rights to citizens but there is no implementation mechanism,” said Senator Mohsin Leghari on Thursday. He was speaking at a national advocacy conference, jointly organised by South Asia Partnership Pakistan (SAP-PK) and Sojhla for Social Change.

The constitution guarantees use of indigenous languages as medium of instruction in educational institutes, in order to uphold cultural values and ideals for younger generation, he said. The purpose of the conference was to discuss proposed national plan of action on International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR).

SAP-PK Deputy Director Irfan Mufti highlighted linguistic and cultural rights, while speaking on ICCPR Article 27. We must revive and promote linguistic values, he emphasised. This is our identity, he added.

“Our language was controlled by British rulers and we have lost our identity, cultural self-esteem, values and power to think as dwellers of this region. This is the root cause of our failure and is dividing us on the basis of ethnicity, language and religion,” he said.

He emphasised the need for institutionalising the article, which gives a constitutional cover to ethnic groups.

SAP-PK National Programme Manager Amjad Nazeer gave reference of Supreme Court judgement on implementation of Urdu as national language. He said the country has not yet ratified different articles of ICCPR such as articles 3, 7 and 10, which address gender equality, arresting citizens without informing the reason and disappearances of citizens.

“Our constitution does not cover these articles as a non-Muslim cannot become prime minister or president of Pakistan. This is a violation of international agreements and laws,” he said.

National Commission on the Status of Women Chairperson Khawar Mumtaz said the commission was working for socio-political rights of women. Participation in politics is their basic human and civil right as equal citizens, he added.

MNA Romina Alam said parents should get their children to learn different languages as these efforts could promote our languages and protect our culture.

Published in The Express Tribune, November 13^th, 2015.