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Mr. Chairman,
We are exercising this right of reply in response to the statement made by the European Union (EU).
Mr. Chairman,
The democratically elected Government of Pakistan requires no lessons on promotion and protection of human rights from any other country.
We would like to inform the Committee that we have signed the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR) and are in the process of completing necessary parliamentary procedures for its ratification. The Government has placed before the parliament a bill to establish an independent National Human Rights Commission in accordance with the Paris Principles.
Meanwhile, Pakistan’s independent judiciary is fully active in protecting the rights of all Pakistani citizens. Pakistan also has a highly independent and pro-active civil society. Several of our human rights activists are of international repute. Pakistan also has a free and active media.
Mr. Chairman,
It is unfortunate that the representative of EU has in his statement highlighted issues in the developing world. However, we would like to underscore the violations of human rights and fundamental freedoms of minorities in countries of EU including those of Muslims, minorities of Arab origin as well as the Roma people.
We would have also expected EU to make a mention regarding the violation of human rights of Muslim people in the Middle East and South Asia. At present there are ongoing human rights violations of Palestinian people in Jerusalem and only recently a report has been adopted on the atrocities of Gaza earlier this year.
Surprisingly these have not found mention in the EU Statement. Such an approach denotes double standards and selectivity. This raises justifiable questions about the objectivity of the EU statement.
I thank you Mr Chairman.