Daily Times

KARACHI: Civil society and human rights activists on Sunday called upon all major political parties to respect and ensure minimum human rights standards.

Addressing a joint press conference at Karachi Press Club, representatives of the civil society organisations, particularly rights-based groups, trade unions, business groups, intellectuals and professional organisations such as bar councils, medical staff, journalist unions, especially those representing the interests and rights of youth, women and minorities’ presented a charter of demands concerning human rights for the upcoming election.

“We are committed to addressing and upholding the supremacy of law, fundamental rights and dignity of all citizens,” they stated. The civil society groups reiteratated their resolve to support the political processes and systems as pre-requisites for democratic, accountable and inclusive governance responsive enough towards recognising, respecting, protecting and fulfilling the universally acknowledged rights of the people of Pakistan.

The charter chalks out the demands of various groups of the society for empowering women; ensuring protection and safety of children; countering the youth bulge; providing accessible and quality education; ensuring workers rights, ensuring rights of religious minorities; ensuring rights of transgender persons and enabling spaces for civic actions.

The charter asked political parties to make a pledge that local laws would be amended according to UN obligations Pakistan has agreed to in consonance with the UN Declaration of Human rights Defenders.

They underlined the need to ensure an active dialogue with civil society and citizens at large to ensure policy formulation at all levels.

“Given the increasing number of enforced disappearances and the lack of action by the existing commission, a new independent commission should be formed to deal with enforced disappearances, or the existing commission should be revamped to include investigation experts.”

They said that political parties and the state at large should view civil society members as counterparts in the struggle to overcome the shared challenges being faced by the country. “The current policy of opposition towards the civil society members and branding members as foreign agents is counterproductive for the country as a whole.”

Referring to the internally displaced persons (IDPs), they said that the government should have a national policy for IDPs and recognise UN Guiding Principles for IDPs, including Pinheiro Principle to ensure non-discrimination and resettlement of internally displaced persons.

Civil society organisations that endorsed the charter included Women In Struggle for Empowerment (WISE), South Asia Partnership- Pakistan (SAP-PK), Blue Veins, Pakistan Coalition for Education, Strengthening Participatory Organisation (SPO), Aurat Foundation, Centre for Social Justice, NOW Communities, Pakistan Fisher Folk Forum, Pakistan Institute of Labour Education and Research (PILER), Legal Aid and Awareness Services (LAAS), Khwendo Kor, Noor Education Trust, SPARC, Takra Qabailee Khwendy, Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP), National Council for Minority Rights, Human Rights Committee of Pakistan.

The political parties that have been submitted the charter included Pakistan Muslim League-Quaid (PML-Q), Balochistan National Party (BNP), Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N), JUI-F, Pakhtoonkhwa Mali Awami Party (PkMAP), Pakistan People’s Party, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) , MQM-P, Jamat-e-Islami, Qaumi Watan Party, Awami National Party (ANP) and PML-F.

Published in Daily Times, February  26^th 2018.