Neither the Human Rights Ministry nor the National Commission on Human Rights (NCHR) had any clue about the resolution the EU Parliament has adopted against Pakistan until I spoke to them to understand their stance. Both are still unaware of what their possible roles could be in helping and educating the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in responding to the situation in a befitting manner. Nonetheless, they do know every single tactic of engaging in a tug of war to grab power and gain lucrative foreign visits. Usually, these foreign visits are leisure trips for the ministers and government officials, and sometimes for their families too. Apparently, same is the case with the Ministry of Human Rights that has completely failed to improve human rights in the country, and to project the positive side of the country’s human rights situation at different forums. Despite several foreign visits worth millions, the federal minister for human rights Kamran Michael and his team have been unsuccessful in lobbying on this front. Instead, Pakistan was snubbed and disgraced several times in recent years for submitting disingenuous human rights situation reports at different international and global forums. Senator Kamran Michael has a decade long standing with the PML-N. His tactfully loyal political affiliation is the only qualification he has to become a senator and a federal minister. Though he is a representative of minorities in Pakistan, he has nothing significant to his credit in safeguarding the rights of religious minorities. Early last year on Court orders, the Murree police registered an FIR against him and two others for fraudulent activity worth Rs 60 million, on the pretext of the sale of the Holy Trinity Church. Despite several foreign visits worth millions, the federal minister for Human Rights Kamran Michael and his team have been unsuccessful in lobbying our case. Instead, Pakistan was snubbed and disgraced several times in recent years for submitting disingenuous human rights situation reports at different international and global forums This was not the first allegation in his political career, as he himself admitted in a press conference in April 2016, two months after the FIR was registered. In the present government, he also served as Federal Minister for Ports and Shipping until he assumed the present portfolio on May 24, 2016. Many rumours are in the air about his ‘performance’ on both positions. In a recent move, Kamran Michael quite skilfully got the approval for the allocation of 16 new functions for the Ministry of Human Rights under Schedule-II to the Rules of Business 1973. Some of the new functions cannot be in the ambit of the federal ministry after the 18th amendment that has devolved the subject of Human Rights. The new functions also include the administrative control of the National Commission on Human Rights Act 2012. Experts on constitutional affairs believe that bringing the functions that are not covered by the ‘Federal Legislative List’ within the ambit of Ministry of Human Rights is unconstitutional. Secondly, such amendments need to be discussed and approved by the Cabinet. Both procedures were not observed while getting the Prime Minister’s approval for the new amendments in the Rules of Business 1973. Most importantly, how can the Prime Minister approve any change in the status of any statutory body which is the prerogative of the parliament? Violation of procedures is another kind of infringement of rights and a criminal act. Usually, they are done intentionally. How shall we react to the Human Rights Minister for doing it in a crafty way and breaching the trust of the Prime Minister? Justice (Retd) Ali Nawaz Chowhan, the chairman of the NCHR, brought this violation of the constitution and the law to the notice of the Secretary Cabinet Division three months ago. The Secretary is, unfortunately, sleeping over the criminal act of the Human Rights Minister. Let’s be optimistic and hope that the Cabinet Division and the Attorney General of Pakistan will soon take notice of the criminal act of the Human Rights Minister, and the amended Rules of Business 1973 are revisited through the appropriate procedures. On the other hand, there is no doubt about us, as a nation, that we are habitually criminal in delaying justice and taking curative measures in time. Just look at the deteriorating situation of rights, respect to law, and the respite for restorative measures. If the situation remains the same, we will keep on witnessing people like Kamran Michael avoiding allegations all the time. The writer is an Islamabad-based policy advocacy, strategic communication and outreach expert. He can be reached at devcom.pakistan@gmail.com. He tweets @EmmayeSyed Published in Daily Times, July 5th , 2017.