LAHORE, March 13: UN Human Rights Commissioner Mary Robinson urged Pakistan on Wednesday to ratify the international conventions on human rights it has already signed.

Addressing the Lahore High Court Bar Association, she said lawyers should press the government for ratification of the conventions, which include covenants not only on political rights but also on social, economic and cultural rights. She also called for a high-level, statutory commission to monitor the enforcement of human rights and serve as a bridge between the government and the civil society.

She said she has undertaken an extensive tour of the region to acquaint herself with the human rights situation on the eve of the UN Human Rights Commission meeting scheduled to start in Geneva on March 17. She had come here to listen and not to speak, she said, adding that she would be meeting human rights lawyers and activists, including advocates Asma Jahangir and Hina Jilani, besides the provincial governor in Lahore.

Ms Robinson, who practised law for 20 years before becoming president of the Irish Republic, had talks with President Pervez Musharraf and the Kashmir Committee in Islamabad. She said she raised the issue of induction of military officers as judges with the Pakistan authorities. The rule of law and the independence of the judiciary and the Bar were essential for the enforcement of human rights.

About violations in Kashmir, she said the issue was related to the overall de-escalation of the military stand-off between India and Pakistan. She also emphasized the need for a political dialogue. She said the issue came up for discussion during her talks in New Delhi.

In Islamabad, she also discussed police reforms. She said she held a delicate position inasmuch she has been appointed by the states and government to monitor their human rights record. The approach is, therefore, one of constructive engagement than of negative criticism.

Ms Robinson expressed her concern at the human rights situation in Palestinian territories and called for appointment of international observers there. She expressed her optimism about improvement in the Afghan situation. She attended a seminar and workshop on the Women’s Day in Kabul. Four working groups have been created to promote respect for human rights in Afghanistan, she said. She expressed herself against extra-judicial killings and the so-called honour killings, which should be firmly dealt with as murders.

Ms Robinson was presented a copy of Pakistan’s Constitution by LHCBA president Chaudhry Muzammil.

Earlier, LHCBA secretary Shahid Mahmood Bhatti, Pakistan Bar Council member Raja Mahmood Akhtar, Dr Farooq Hasan, Malik Saeed Hasan and Syed Muzammil Ali addressed the meeting.

CALLS ON GOVERNOR: UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Mary Robinson called on Punjab Governor Khalid Maqbool here at the Civil Secretariat on Wednesday.

The governor briefed her on various reforms undertaken by the government to what he said ensure human rights and to restructure the police department.

He said the government was striving to establish an Islamic society in the country based on respect to humanity, rule of law and protection of human rights.

The governor drew the attention of Ms Robinson towards the Kashmir issue and observed that the UN should use its influence to make India honour its commitment under its resolutions.

Ms Robinson appreciated the measures taken by the government for the protection of human rights.

HRCP: In the afternoon, Ms Robinson spoke to the rights activists here at the Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP) office.

She said she had told high Pakistani officials, including President Gen Musharraf, that democracy and human rights were inalienable. She also told the participants that she had also stressed the urgency of repealing all laws discriminatory to minorities and women. However, she said, she had not got any definitive answer from the government.

Besides, she said, she could not press an unelected government to take these measures. The elected government could reject these changes by saying that these had been brought about by an unelected regime, she was quoted by the participants of the meeting.

Ms Robinson said she had also raised the issue of Ayub Masih and Younus Shaikh, whose appeals were pending with the superior courts, convicted under the blasphemy law with the authorities and asked them what the government was doing about these cases.

Replying to a question, she categorically said the human rights standards and norms might have been violated after the Sept 11 events but they surely had not been changed.

She said she was informed by the UNHCR that some 4,000 to 5,000 Afghan refugees were returning home every day. However, she said, there was no point in their going back home as women were being molested in Mazar-i-Sharif and other parts of Afghanistan. Besides, there was no proper security system there to protect the citizens. It was happening because the international peacekeepers were stationed only in Kabul, she said.

She said the peacekeepers should be stationed in all parts of the country to ensure safety of the citizens.

OCCUPIED KASHMIR: Talking to the faculty and students of the Punjab University Law College, Ms Robinson said the UNHRC has some serious concerns regarding violations of human rights in the Indian held Kashmir.

She talked about rights situation in India, Pakistan and Afghanistan and expressed her pleasure at the ratification of women, children other core instruments of UN by the Pakistan government.

She was also happy at the improvement in the women’s condition in Pakistan and hailed reservation of seats for women in local elections.

She expressed the hope that the government would also give serious thought to ratify other subjects like civil and political liberties.