APF provides advice on proposed Pakistan NHRI

The APF will travel to Pakistan next month to consult with government representatives and civil society on the establishment of its proposed national human rights institution (NHRI).

The APF will meet with relevant parliamentarians, government agencies and civil society groups to discuss draft legislation establishing an Independent Commission for Human Rights and provide advice on compliance with the ‘Paris Principles’ standards.

These internationally agreed standards require an NHRI to have:

• a clearly defined and broad-based legal mandate based on universal human rights norms
• independence and autonomy from government
• a membership that is representative of the community within which it operates
• appropriate powers of investigation, and
• sufficient resources for it to carry out its core functions.

The draft legislation proposes a national human rights commission with 11 members and the power to investigate a broad range of human rights violations.

The legislation also provides the proposed NHRI with power to review new and existing laws; to intervene in legal proceedings; and to visit and examine conditions in places of detention.

According to the country’s Human Rights Minister, Mumtaz Alam Gillani, quoted in the ‘Daily Times’ on 11 November, the Government hopes to establish the commission by the end of the year.

He said the Human Rights Ministry would discuss the draft legislation with civil society representatives and human rights activists to seek their feedback and recommendations on the bill.

The Minister also said a task force consisting of journalists, civil society activists and social workers would be formed on district and divisional levels to address human rights violations cases and that separate courts for human rights would also be established at district levels.

In 2005 the APF participated in a series of seminars in Pakistan and held meetings with key parliamentary, government and civil society stakeholders to discuss the nature and status of a national human rights institution for the country.