Measures for inclusive society with minorities discussed

Islamabad: To join world community in commemoration of International Day for Human Rights, the National Commission for Human Rights (NCHR) held consultations and community interactions at the federal and provincial levels.

In Islamabad, minority community elders were invited to discuss measures that could be taken for an inclusive society in Pakistan. The dialogue was chaired by NCHR’s Member Minorities Manzoor Masih. The participants had an extensive discussion around the reasons behind the recent wave of violence and intolerance. They also suggested measures that can be taken to address the situation. The meeting was attended by elders from the Christian, Sikh, Hindu, and Muslim communities.

On this occasion, Manzoor Masih said that the government recognizes minority rights and gives them an equal status in society as enshrined in the Constitution. “The role played by the minorities in nation-building is the reason why our nation continues to thrive. We stand firm with the views expressed by the Quaid-e-Azam in this respect which very emphatically spelled out the mode of mutual coexistence for all,” he added.

Chairperson NCHR Rabiya Javeri Agha said that the NCHR is now functional and the priority is to ensure that the country moves towards a society that is tolerant and inclusive, where gender-based violence and child abuse is a memory of the past, and where rights of the minority, disability, and inter-faith harmony are realized.

In Lahore, Quetta, and Peshawar, the Commission held consultations with government officials, civil society, academia and minority representatives. The objective was to introduce the NCHR’s vision and future plans amongst key stakeholders. In Karachi, food relief packages were distributed among marginalized communities affected by the economic aftermath of Covid-19. The packages were supported by NCHR, HeP and UNDP.

The events were held in collaboration with the Huqooq-e-Pakistan (HeP) project, a joint initiative between the European Union and the Ministry of Human Rights for the promotion of human rights in Pakistan.

In Lahore, the consultation was held under the Chair of Member NCHR Punjab Nadeem Ashraf and was attended by Punjab Secretary Human Rights Department Nadeem-ur-Rehman, senior Advisor Wafaqi Mohtasib Office and former DIG Dr Masood Saleem and Chief Child Commissioner Punjab Tabana Sajjad Naseer and representatives of civil society and NGOs.

The consultation in Quetta was led by NCHR Member Balochistan Professor Farkhanda Aurangzeb and was attended by senior lawyer Atta khan, members HRCP Ch Imtiaz Ahmad, Habib Tahir, and Muhammad Sham, representative of Hindu Community Kammal Kumar, social activist Behram Lehri and provincial coordinator for women lead alliance Nimra Malik.

In Peshawar, the event was led by NCHR member Peshawar Tariq Javed and was attended by Qamar Naseem from Blue Veins, Deputy Director Child Protection and Welfare Commission Bilal Khan, Deputy Director Directorate of Law, Justice and Human Rights in KP Malik Maqsood Ali, Imran Takkar from Group Development Pakistan, Minority representative Rubina Masey and representative of persons with disability Afshan Afridi.