Rajveer Singh Sodha, Special Assistant to the Chief Minister of Sindh for Human Rights, declared the Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) as Pakistan’s leading advocate for human rights. He highlighted the Sindh government’s zero-tolerance stance against human rights violations while addressing a human rights awareness workshop focused on combating gender-based violence.
The workshop, organized by the Center for Peace and Development Initiatives (CPDI), was held at a local hotel, with Sodha as the chief guest. Recalling PPP’s historic contributions, Sodha noted that Shaheed Zulfikar Ali Bhutto enshrined equal rights for all citizens in the 1973 Constitution, while Shaheed Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto introduced initiatives aimed at empowering women and enhancing their economic independence. Under Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari’s leadership, the Sindh government has implemented progressive laws addressing gender-based violence and discrimination.
These include the Domestic Violence (Prevention and Protection) Act, 2013, the Protection Against Harassment of Women at the Workplace Act, 2010, and the Child Marriage Restraint Act, 2013. Looking ahead, Sodha announced a province-wide awareness campaign to educate citizens about their rights and strengthen inter-departmental efforts to address human rights issues.
Expressing concern over the rise in suicide cases among women and youth in Mirpurkhas, particularly in Tharparkar and Umerkot, he urged immediate, collaborative action by the government and civil society to tackle this pressing issue. The workshop also featured Iqbal Detho, Chairman of the Sindh Human Rights Commission (SHRC), and representatives from various social organizations.
This event underscored Sindh’s commitment to fostering awareness and reinforcing human rights protections across the province.
