Pakistan on Thursday presented a comprehensive report to the United Nations highest body on human rights, with Ms Fauzia Wahab, MNA, outlining the government's vision on various vital issues, including protection and promotion of human rights.
The 47-member Human Rights Council members of the United Nations and representatives of civil society heard an hour long presentation from Pakistan's parliamentary delegation led by Fauzia Wahab. Two other parliamentarians, Dr Mahreen Razzaque Bhutto and Amad Khan also participated.
Fauzia outlined the government's vision to strengthen democracy, to ensure respect of law, to promote collective decision-making and to protect and promote human rights in Pakistan.
She elaborated the policy, achievements and challenges in the area of human rights, and said a separate ministry of 'Human Rights' monitors and addresses human rights violations and trends, with special reference to women, minorities and vulnerable segments of society.
She said that the new government was committed to political, social and economic development of Pakistan. It was determined to provide food, clothing and shelter (roti, kapra, and makaan) to the people of the country as part of its coherent vision of a welfare state, she added.
The government was determined to work for good governance, rid Pakistan of violence and terror, generate productive employment for youth, provide education, healthcare, and clean drinking water, and bring progress to the doorstep of workers, farmers and small businesses, she said.
Fauzia said that poverty reduction was an absolute priority for the government. Prudent policies would be formulated and sufficient resources allocated to uplift the poor and needy people.
She said that the government would build one million housing units every year to cater the growing housing needs. She said that a national employment policy for women, facilitating job creation and women's wider participation in the economy would be enunciated to mainstream political and economic empowerment of women.
She stated that minorities enjoyed equal civil and political rights under the Constitution. The Prime Minister of Pakistan has announced that under the present government minorities will have representation in all national institutions.
She informed the Human Rights Council that the new government was working to make the Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority (Pemra) an effective tool for the promotion and protection of freedom of opinion and expression.
Fauzia stated that Pakistan has recently completed its transition to full democracy. She said that while this transition was underway, Benazir Bhutto became victim of a cowardly and barbaric act of terrorism by the forces of evil against the forces of democracy and moderation in Pakistan.
She said that Benazir, in all her life, upheld human rights and struggled against the forces of extremism and terrorism. She said that the government, led by Pakistan People's Party, was committed to Benazir's lasting legacy to democracy and human rights.
Fauzia Wahab stated that in the past five years, terrorism and extremism had endangered national security and created disaffection within the society. She said that the government would continue to persevere in its efforts to combat terrorism. She suggested that the solutions lay in promotion of democratic values, expansion in political and economic opportunities, and strengthening the rule of law.
"The Government is pursuing these goals", she said. Universal periodic review is the new mechanism established by the Human Rights Council to review the state of human rights in all UN member states in a universal manner. Pakistan is being reviewed in the second round. In the first round, 16 countries, including India, were reviewed last month. The review process will be completed in four years.