Published 15:04 IST, November 8th 2020
Your Presence in UNHRC is intolerable: UN-backed NGO exhaustively shames Imran's Pakistan
Terming Pakistan's presence in the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC) as 'intolerable', UN-accredited NGO UN Watch slammed Pakistan PM Imran Khan
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Terming Pakistan's presence in the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC) as 'intolerable', UN-accredited NGO UN Watch slammed Pakistan PM Imran Khan and listed reasons as to why the country's candidacy for the UNHRC should be rejected.
The UN-recognized NGO gave a befitting reply to Imran Khan's remark 'Blasphemy in the garb of freedom of expression is intolerable' and went on to cite gross human rights violations made by Pakistan on a day-to-day basis and also highlighted that Pakistan had voted against UN resolutions speaking out for human rights victims in Iran, Syrian Arab Republic and Ukraine.
The organization exposed Pakistan's claims of protecting the minorities in the country and said that religious minorities suffer from discrimination, sectarian violence and forced conversions alongside the exploitation of the blasphemy laws to loot the religious minorities.
The NGO highlighted Pakistan's lack of cooperation with the UN's human rights experts and noted that the country had, since 2012, banned access to experts on freedom of expression, torture, freedom of religion, human rights defenders, extrajudicial killings, freedom of assembly and so on.
It also noted that children in Pakistan were subjected to 'multiple forms of violence and abuse' including exploitative labor practices, sexual abuse and child marriage.
The UN-accredited NGO went on to point out that Pakistan's position in the Reporters Sans Frontiers (RSF) press freedom index was at the bottom. Further, it also noted widespread military censorship being imposed on the press in the country.
"Human Rights Watch describes violence against women and girls in Pakistan as "common," with local human rights groups estimating 1,000 honour killings per year. These horrific crimes are underreported and frequently pardoned by the family, despite changes to the law partially eliminating the pardon loophole. In May 2020, two cousins were allegedly shot and killed by family after a video of them kissing a man was circulated online.23 Other violations against women include domestic violence, child marriage, trafficking in brides and sexual violence perpetrated by the police', the report quoted by UN Watch read.
'Your presence...intolerable'
Your presence on the U.N. Human Rights Council is intolerable. https://t.co/rVhyS3qHVS
— UN Watch (@UNWatch) November 6, 2020
In latest example, Pakistan targets Sikh community
Pakistan Government decided to take way the management rights of Gurudwara Shri Kartarpur Sahib from Pakistan Sikh Gurudwara Parbandhak Committee. The rights of management have been handed over to Evacuee Trust Property Board (ETPB) with not even a Sikh representative.
In an order issued, copy of which is available with Republic World, reads, " Consequent upon the approval of Project Management Unit (PMU) Kartarpur Corridor by ECC of the Cabinet, and ratified by the Cabinet (conveyed by MoRA vide letter No.6(7)/2013-P-1 dated 23.10.2020), the competent authority has been pleased to establish Project Management Unit (PMU), a self-financing body, for Management and Maintenance of Gurdwara Dardar Sahib Kartarpur (GDSK) under the administrative control of ETPB".
15:04 IST, November 8th 2020