April 20, 2008	Sunday	Rabi-us-Sani 13, 1429

KARACHI, April 19: The Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP) has appreciated the signing and ratification of three core UN human rights instruments by Pakistan.

Pakistan ratified on Thursday the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (ICESR), a multilateral treaty adopted by the UN General Assembly on Dec 16, 1966, which has been in force since Jan 3, 1976. It is part of the International Bill of Human Rights, along with the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR) and the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR), and the latter’s first and second Optional Protocols.

The HRCP noted that the elected government, by signing the instruments, had accepted HR groups’ longstanding demand of ratifying the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR) as well as Convention Against Torture (CAT), an international human rights instrument under the purview of the United Nations prohibiting torture and other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment.

The text of the Convention was adopted by the General Assembly on Dec 10, 1984 and ratified by 20 states. It came into force on June 26, 1987, the day which is now recognised as the International Day in Support of Torture Victims.