Karachi, May 19, 2023 (PPI-OT): The Human Rights Department of the Government of Sindh has reiterated its commitment to fully implement international conventions and to make its zero-tolerance policy against human rights violations more efficient and effective in collaboration with other relevant institutions. Sindh Human Rights Department hosted an awareness session under the banner “Orientation Session on International Human Rights Obligations and its Implementation Mechanism at Federal and Provincial Level” at a local hotel here on Thursday. The awareness session was attended by officers and representatives of revenue, police and law departments as well as bodies working for the protection and rights of vulnerable sections of the society including women and children.
Speaking on the occasion, Special Assistant to Chief Minister Sindh for Human Rights Surendar Valasai said that Sindh province is ahead of other provinces in preventing human rights violations and providing protection and justice to the victims. He pointed out that the fourth biennial GSP+ review of Pakistan was completed at the end of 2022 and the European Commission submitted the report to the European Parliament, adding that the GSP+ scheme is ending this year and the above review report will play an important role in determining the next GSP+ award to Pakistan by the European Union. “Pakistan’s annual income under GSP+ is $1.5 billion to $2 billion,” he added.
Valasai said that the groundwork for GSP+ was done during the government led by former President Asif Ali Zardari. He furthered that Chairman PPP Bilawal Bhutto Zardari has always had an unequivocal stand regarding human rights that no political party and democratic government can even imagine expediency over human rights. “The Provincial Human Rights Department is following the vision of Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari and the policy of the Government of Sindh,” he said. Surendar Valasai urged that only the federal and provincial level mechanism for prevention of human rights violations is not enough, it needs to be taken to the district level. He said that the footprint of the Human Rights Department is now being extended from the divisional level to the district level.
Javed Sibghatullah Mahar, the Secretary, Sindh Human Rights Department, gave a detailed briefing to the participants regarding the scope, performance and future planning of his department. He said that various measures are being taken by his department for immediate redressal of complaints of human rights violations and provision of justice., adding that an automation mechanism is being created through technology, through which all the concerned institutions will come on one page after receiving the complaint of the affected person. “In order to redress the grievances of the victims and deliver justice, there is a need to create an immediate and effective mechanism between the police department and the human rights department,” he urged.
Mahar said that district human rights committees will be formed on behalf of his department and Deputy Commissioners should pay attention to this. During the session, Human Rights Commission Sindh Chairperson Iqbal Detho, DIG Javed Jaskani, former Secretary Sindh Abdul Rahim Soomro, Executive Coordinator of Treaty Implementation Cell of Sindh Human Rights Department Jameel Junejo and Member of Human Rights Commission Sindh Zulfiqar Shah also addressed the event.
Officers and representatives, participating in the session, appreciated the organization of the session by the Human Rights Department and emphasized that such programs are very important for the promotion and protection of human rights.
For more information, contact:
PPP Media Cell (Sindh)
Pakistan People’s Party (PPP)
Peoples Secretariat Shikarpur Colony,
Behind Mazar-e-Quaid-e-Azam, Karachi, Pakistan
Cell: +92-305-3370383
Email: contact@ppp-tu.com
Website: https://www.ppp.org.pk