Growing rights violations: Restoration of human rights ministry proposed
ISLAMABAD: A Senate subcommittee has recommended the restoration of a full-fledged, independent human rights ministry to effectively handle human rights-related issues.
The subcommittee of the Senate’s Standing Committee on Human Rights made the recommendations at a meeting chaired by Senator Mushahid Hussain Sayed on Tuesday.
Senator Mushahid also recommended a journalist defence fund to help journalists victimised by violence and terrorism, and creating a ministry of disaster management because of the high number of internally displaced persons (IDPs) due to natural and man-made disasters.
The panel also suggested declaring the subject of human rights compulsory in all training institutes for law-enforcement agencies, including police, armed forces, intelligence and civil administration.
According to the subcommittee, a host of issues related to human rights are left unaddressed due to the absence of a ministry.
Mushahid, who is vocal about the rights of working journalists, said that the proposed fund would help media persons injured or targeted in the line of duty.