PM calls for concerted efforts to safeguard rights of vulnerable segments

ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Imran Khan has stressed upon the need to work against the exploitation and marginalization of vulnerable groups which deprives them of their basic rights, thus leading them to a life of dignity and equality.

“The Government of the PTI is committed to making this vision a concrete reality. Pakistanis aspire for a society based on equality, rule of law, respect for diversity, and justice,” the prime minister said in a message on the occasion of Human Rights Day being observed across the globe on December 10 (Monday).

In Pakistan today, he said, they were committed to ‘a strong democracy, rule of law, an independent judiciary, a free media and a vibrant civil society.’

The prime minister said Pakistan was proud to join hands with the global community in celebrating Human Rights Day as the day acknowledged the world’s commitment to the promotion and protection of Human Rights.

“It celebrates dignity, freedom, equality and justice for all. In line with the vision of our founding father Quaid-i-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah, Pakistan is a democratic, pluralistic and progressive state,” he added.

The prime minister said the present Government of Pakistan was cognizant of its duties in the realm of human rights.

Legislation and policy initiatives, presenting and defending international treaty reports, setting up of human rights structures from federal to grassroots level, national action plans and financial inclusion strategies, institutional reforms, gender empowerment, child protection and the provision of social nets were just a few of its initiatives in the field of human rights, he added.

Prime Minister Imran Khan further said, “The Government of Pakistan is also cognizant of its duties to all its citizens and to the international community. Like all nations of the world, we face challenges in our journey ahead, but we are meeting these challenges with a determined commitment.”

He maintained that PTI’s vision focused on ensuring steady mainstreaming of human rights in their overall policies and in the national discourse.

“We are working to address discrimination faced by women and vulnerable groups in our society by providing them an enabling socio-economic environment for growth and protection of their rights guaranteed under the Constitution,” he added.

The prime minister further enumerated that independent commissions, empowered as courts, worked to redress human rights violations, ombudsman offices addressed harassment and the State Bank aimed to bring increased women into the banking system by 2020.

A treaty implementation cell ensured the effective implementation of treaties signed and provincial governments & task forces reflected this commitment in concrete action, he added.

He also lauded the work done by Ministry of Human Rights and said over the past three months, the ministry had taken strong initiatives for the promotion and protection of human rights in Pakistan.

These included nine new legislations, policies on women empowerment; gender based violence and child abuse, he said, adding the ministry had already concluded a study on women’s right to inheritance and was working closely with relevant stakeholders to ensure that no woman was deprived of her right to own and inherit property.

The prime minister noted that the governance was not only about running the state machinery to keep one’s borders safe and the law and order situation under control.

Nations also had the mandate to eliminate inequalities and inequities entrenched in society, he added.