ISLAMABAD: The European Union-funded project “Together for Tolerance: Strengthening Minority Rights and Inclusion” was being implemented in Punjab and Sindh by PCHR in partnership with the Centre for Social Justice (CSJ).

A Focus Group Discussion on “Mapping the Minority Rights Landscape: Economic, Social, Cultural, Civil, and Political Rights” was organised by the Parliamentarians Commission for Human Rights (PCHR) as part of the EU-funded project.

The Focus Group Discussion commenced with welcome remarks by Executive Director of PCHR Shafique Chaudhry, followed by an overview of the government initiative by Abdul Khalique Shaikh, Secretary Ministry of Human Rights.

He explained in detail the steps that the Ministry of Human Rights has taken to ensure strict compliance with the Supreme Court’s landmark 2014 judgment on protecting the rights of religious minorities in the country.

Acting Head of Cooperation, European Union Mission to Pakistan Dr Sebastien Lorion in his opening remarks reaffirmed that the EU valued its strong partnership with civil society in Pakistan.

He emphasised that the protection of human rights — particularly the rights of religious minorities — remained high on the EU’s agenda, and that Pakistan’s progress under the GSP+ framework was closely linked to its commitment to these core values.

PCHR representatives Dr Shafqat Munir Ahmad and Professor Dr Sofia Anwar provided critical insights into the ongoing studies aimed at evaluating Pakistan’s compliance with international human rights frameworks, including ICCPR and ESCR obligations under the GSP+ regime.

Key stakeholders, including parliamentarians, researchers, legal experts, civil society representatives, and members of minority communities, participated in the discussion.

Representatives from government departments such as the ministry of human rights, and police, shared updates on initiatives to protect minorities and promote their economic, social, and cultural rights. Their contributions highlighted significant efforts of the government to address the challenges faced by religious minorities and ensure their inclusion in Pakistan’s social and legal frameworks.

The Focus Group Discussion concluded with a series of suggestions and recommendations for ongoing research studies.

Shafique Chaudhary, Executive Director, PCHR, in his concluding remarks, extended his felicitation to the participants for their input and hoped that their recommendations/input would guide the experts in building a robust case and accurately reflecting the current state of civil, political, economic, social, and cultural rights of religious minorities in Pakistan.

Published in Dawn, July 23rd, 2025