Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Hina Rabbani Khar presented Pakistan’s human rights progress report at Universal Periodic Review of Human Rights Council (HRC) in Geneva on Monday.
She outlined legislative, policy and institutional measures taken by Pakistan to safeguard and advance basic rights.
Welcoming constructive feedback from States, Hina Rabbani Khar expressed the resolve to build on the progress made so far. She said democratic institutions are gaining strength and acting as defenders and promoters of basic rights and freedoms for all citizens.
“From drafting the Universal Declaration on Human Rights and the International Convention on Racial Discrimination to establishing the Human Rights Council, Pakistan has remained and will continue to be a leading voice of the vulnerable and the oppressed,” she stated.
The Minister of State said that as an ardent supporter of multilateralism, Pakistan has consistently advocated dialogue, consensus, cooperation, and mutual respect as preferred vehicles to advance the global human rights agenda.
“Today, I am pleased to report that my country’s human rights progress is overall on an upward trajectory. We continue to aspire for a progressive and pluralistic society, which puts a high premium on respect for the human rights of everyone, in the words of our founding father Muhammad Ali Jinnah and I quote “as equal citizens of one State”,
she maintained.
The Minister said that Pakistan’s 4th national UPR report was prepared through an inclusive, consultative process involving all national stakeholders. Critically, this report was an outcome of their extensive efforts during the last five years to implement the recommendations emanating from the country’s 2017 UPR, she added.
To implement these recommendations, Ms. Khar said that the Federal Government closely consulted with all provincial stakeholders, civil society, and academia. “We also benefitted from international best practices in certain areas. I thank all those who contributed to this national endeavor,” she added.
The Minister of State further said that in line with the country’s constitutional framework, Pakistan’s democratic governance structures, as protectors of human rights, have grown from strength to strength.— NNI
