KARACHI: The Sindh Human Rights Commission (SHRC), which recently released its annual report about its performance last year, is facing financial shortages, inappropriate office accommodation and human resources, it emerged on Monday.

Officials said the budget or grant-in-aid was insufficient. They said the daily work of the commission had increased a great deal and “this has a huge impact on the running costs”.

“In order to fulfil the objectives of the SHRC, it is essential that adequate budget or funds are available for use throughout the year,” said the commission’s report.

The officials said the grant had recently been increased from Rs10 million to Rs20 million, which were still insufficient to meet the expenses, including salaries of the members.

“The commission has requested [the government] for [grant of] Rs40m to meet the current expenses and outstanding dues,” said the official report.

The officials said the SHRC had made repeated representations to the Sindh chief minister in that regard and on latter’s direction had corresponded with the ministries concerned, including the chief secretary. “However, the action is [still] awaited.”

The official report said a separate room was needed where meetings could be held with visitors and members from the general public filing cases with the commission. Besides, two more rooms were required for members and staff.

In addition to this, as the Sindh HR law provides, there should be a secretary of the commission, but no one had been appointed on the post, the officials added.

“The commission needs efficient clerical staff. Since work has expended throughout Sindh, the commission needs more staff to deal with cases, particularly the ones on violence.”

“In spite of all the problems, the commission is trying to work according to its mandate, and provide relief to the people whose rights are violated,” said the report.

It said the commission had made a considerable progress in its work in reaching out to people through awareness campaigns, and interactions with nongovernmental organisations and civil society members during the year 2015.

The officials said the SHRC had established systems to make the commission more accessible and responsive to the public.

Retired Justice Majida Rizvi, chairperson of the SHRC, said the SHRC was first notified and formed in May 2013, two years after the law was passed by the provincial legislature, for three years.

After that commission completed its tenure, the commission was again notified on May 4, this year, again for three years as per law.

The seven-member commission, also represented by civil society and representatives of the law, was working with its limited mandate.

The SHRC chairperson said there were gaps in the existing law, which did not allow the commission to work as effectively in certain sectors as it should be, and that was why she went to invite amendments to the law by stakeholders to make it stronger and effectively to the benefit of the society.

Published in Dawn November 22nd, 2016