Daily Times

LAHORE: National Assembly Standing Committee Human Rights Chairman Babar Nawaz Khan on Monday said that establishment of special courts to hear human rights cases is a need of the hour.

Addressing a meeting of the committee here at Civil Secretariat, Babar said that the government would take every possible step against culprits involved in smuggling of human organs. He said that action had been taken against the NGOs working to promote negative image of Pakistan at international level. He said that the network of provincial departments of human rights in Punjab would be expanded.

He said that the federal government would enhance collaboration with provincial departments for awareness campaign and protection of human rights. He further said that the federal government would launch crackdown on smugglers of human organs soon. The chairman said that the new legislation on human rights would be presented in the National Assembly in the next session.

He said that the government should adopt a comprehensive policy regarding women and juvenile in all prisons of Pakistan. He said that the situation of human rights in Punjab especially in prisons was better than other provinces. Federal Secretary of Human Rights Nadeem Ashraf said that the federal government, with the collaboration of all provinces, has devised a national action plan on protection of human rights across the country. The work on establishing special courts is under process, he said.

The regional directorate of Federal Human Rights Department is working to implement and monitor the international treaties on human rights, he said. Provincial Secretary on Human Rights Asim Iqbal said that provincial task force on human rights would be established soon to help implementing the federal recommendations at grass root level.

Regional Director Lubna Masood briefed the committee on performance of regional office in Punjab. Members of the committee inquired about the ratio of conviction against the violation of human rights. Committee also directed the authorities concerned to present the conviction report within a week.

The committee also examined the implementation of the international treaties, GSP Plus status and implementation of the law. DIG Prisons, DIG Police, Federal Secretary of Human Rights, DG Human Rights, Provincial Secretary on Minorities and Human Rights, Additional Secretary Home, Secretary NCHR and Regional Director Lubna Masood were present on the occasion.