Daily Times

Former Federal Minister and renowned human rights defender Julius Salik famously known as J. Salik has proposed the Islamabad Capital Territory (ICT) Administration to initiate a special campaign on promoting humanitarian norms and ethics among the youth through special lectures by the rights defender whereas the Capital administration welcomed his idea for positive youth engagement.

Additional Deputy Commissioner General (ADCG) Shehryar Arif Khan and Former Federal Minister J. Salik discussed the various aspects and options for the youth drive in a meeting held here at the Chief Commissioner’s office.

Talking to APP, Former Federal Minister J. Salik said he had a long journey of over four decades on fight for defending human rights without any discrimination of faith, cast and region in the country. Salik said he was disappointed to see that the country’s massive population bulge of youth was not guided in the right direction to use their potential for making the society full of rights, tolerance, mutual coexistence and equality for all.

There was urgent need to mobilise students from juvenile to adult level to educate, exhort and groom them for respecting each other’s rights, protecting the vulnerable, weak and marginalised segments of the society, he added.

“I have requested the ADCG Mr. Khan to consider my request and start this effort from his office and take the lead role in holding special sermon at the Chief Commissioner’s office for educating it’s officers and staff to respect and support the weak and marginalised including people from other faiths and gender,” J. Salik said.

Speaking on the occasion, the ADCG said former Federal Minister J. Salik held a detailed disc

ussion with him on various issues. “I took stock of his 47 years long effort of human rights protection through his news clippings and publications with aim to learn from his efforts and works,” he added.

He commended the efforts and struggle of J. Salik and said there was no precedent to his works in the world that needed to be respected and adopted by the administration at large for the betterment of society.

The ADCG added that the former Federal Minister gave suggestions to ensure safeguard of human and minorities’ rights, protection of fundamental rights of the downtrodden people and create awareness among the masses for reporting and timely action of rights abuses.

He said that the administration had well taken his recommendations and would take measures to implement his suggestions and ensure necessary actions.