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ISLAMABAD, Aug 11 (APP):Parliamentarians Commission for Human Rights (PCHR), in collaboration with the Centre for Social Justice (CSJ), organized a high-profile seminar to mark ‘National Minority Day’ here on Monday.
The aim was to discuss the preliminary findings of two parallel studies conducted to map the implementation of religious minority-specific policies, initiatives, and affirmative actions at both the federal and provincial levels (Sindh and Punjab).
The studies, carried out under the European Union-funded project Together for Tolerance: Strengthening Minority Rights and Inclusion, implemented by PCHR with CSJ as a co-partner, were presented during the seminar. They offered a detailed analysis of the civil, political, economic, social, and cultural rights of religious minorities across the two provinces.
The leadership of the PCHR, including Executive Director Shafique Chaudhry and Chairman Riaz Fatyana, emphasized the need for stronger legal and institutional measures to safeguard religious minorities and called for translating constitutional commitments into inclusive, practical reforms.
Abdul Khaliq Shaikh, Federal Secretary of the Ministry of Human Rights, attended the inaugural session, while Philipp Oliver Gross, Deputy Head of Mission EU to Pakistan, participated as the guest of honor.
In his address, Philipp Oliver Gross emphasized that protecting freedom of religion or belief, including the rights of religious minorities, is a priority for the European Union globally.
“The EU is actively working with the government and civil society to advance the cause of human rights,” he added.
Abdul Khaliq Shaikh, while sharing his thoughts, highlighted that the government was fully cognizant of the challenges faced by religious communities and was committed to introducing policies in line with the vision of the Founder of Pakistan, as articulated in his historic address to the first Constituent Assembly on August 11, 1947.
He further stressed that the government values the support of the European Union and was making every effort to fulfill its obligations under ratified international treaties.
Highlighting some key measures, he mentioned the proposed bill to establish the National Commission on the Rights of Religious Minorities, as well as various steps taken by the government.
He commended the efforts of PCHR in conducting the research studies and extended his full support, promising to incorporate the studies’ recommendations into the government’s reform agenda.
In his keynote address, Dr. A.H. Nayyar stressed the need for proactive state measures to address systemic discrimination and ensure equal rights for all citizens.
PCHR experts Dr. Shafqat Munir and Dr. Sofia Anwar presented the preliminary findings from the two research studies, revealing a deeply concerning picture of minority rights in Pakistan.
The recommendations included: aligning domestic laws with international human rights treaties; establishing an independent national commission on minority rights and appointing independent minority rights supervisors; ensuring targeted budget allocations for minority welfare; providing training for police and judiciary on minority rights; removing hate content from curricula; including minority histories and religions in textbooks; promoting interfaith dialogue; safeguarding heritage sites; and ensuring transparent recruitment for reserved posts, among others.
The seminar concluded with an open session where parliamentarians, including Nelson Azeem, Sanjay Perwani, Naveed Aamir, and Senator Danesh Kumar, also spoke on the occasion.
Other speakers included Romana Bashir, Manzoor Masih (Member NCHR), Sadia Bukhari, and Advocate Basharat Masiah.