ISLAMABAD: The federal government announced on Thursday an ambitious 16-point action plan for protection and promotion of human rights in the country, which looked commendable on reading but unreal in terms of implementation as the PML-N is merely left with a little over two years in power.

However, newly appointed Minister for Human Rights Zahid Hamid and Special Assistance to the Prime Minister on Human Rights Barrister Zafarullah Khan claimed at a press conference that the government was committed to bringing about overriding changes both at policy-making level and action on ground which would go a long way in putting the country in league of nations where basic rights of people were given importance.

Information Minister Senator Pervaiz Rashid was also present on the occasion.

The plan’s 16 points include policy framework for promotion and protection of human rights, legislative reforms, administration of justice, protection of rights of women, minorities, children and persons with disabilities, jail reforms, human rights education and sensitisation, rights-based approach to developing planning, media awareness and advocacy, international treaty implementation, establishment and effective functioning of national human rights institutions, prevention of HR violations and redressal mechanism, financial support to the victims of human rights violations and implementation and monitoring of the action plan.

Asked why the government had taken such a long time to introduce these changes, Zahid Hamid said: “An effort has been made to bring in wholesale changes, instead of cosmetic measures which need time.”

Barrister Zafarullah said a separate committee was working on overhauling the Criminal Procedure Code and the Pakistan Penal Code for speedy and affordable justice at the grassroots level.

Mr Hamid said the prime minister had approved the action plan on Feb 13. “The human rights ministry led a time-bound inter-ministerial process with representation of all stakeholders, including federal and provincial governments, and submitted the plan to improve the human rights situation in the country,” he added.

The salient features of the plan prepared by the Ministry of Human Rights include formulation of national policy framework and provincial strategies on promotion and protection of human rights, legal reforms, proposal to improve forensic science, upgrade physical facilities and equipment to investigate human rights violations on scientific grounds.

Mr Hamid said the plan set four key human rights priority areas concerning vulnerable segments of society — women, children, minorities and persons with disabilities — and a number of actions were planned for their protection.

The plan also incorporates cross-cutting themes for promotion and protection of human rights. Special emphasis has been given to human rights education and sensitisation for all duty-bearers who are directly or indirectly involved in progressive realisation of human rights.

Capacity-building initiatives have been proposed for the stakeholders involved in realisation of human rights at the grassroots level. Another key component of rights-based approach to development planning has been proposed with adequate allocation in the Public Sector Development Programme to institutionalise human rights in development planning.

The minister said the plan also proposed establishment of a national task force under his chairmanship with representation of federal ministries and provincial ministers of law and HR departments for effective implementation of the action plan.

An amount of Rs750 million has been approved to put in place institutional mechanisms for realising the rights proposed in the plan — Rs400m for human rights education, sensitisation, awareness raising, research and communication, Rs250m for establishment of a national institute of human rights and Rs100m endowment fund for free legal aid for poor victims of human rights violations.

Published in Dawn, February 26th, 2016