Pakistan rejects US human rights report

 



  ISLAMABAD - Pakistan Tuesday slated US State Department's 
country report on human rights situation in Pakistan and 
labelled it "factually inaccurate and unwarranted."

  "The report fails to acknowledge the important policy measures 
and initiatives by the Government of Pakistan to promote and 
protect human rights," a Foreign Office spokesman said.

  The spokesman said that the US report ignored the implementation 
of almost all initiatives announced and set at an April 2000 
human rights conference.

  These initiatives included the promulgation of the Juvenile 
Justice System Ordinance, the establishment of a Permanent 
Commission on the Status of Women, police and jail reforms, 
national policy and Plan of Action for elimination of child 
labour and establishment of a fund for rehabilitation of working 
children.

  The spokesman said: "The Government has amended Pakistan 
Citizenship Act of 1951 to enable women of Pakistani descent to 
claim Pakistani nationality for their children born to foreign 
husbands. A mass awareness campaign was launched as part of the 
observance of the Year 2000 as the Year of Human Rights and 
Human Dignity."

  "Pakistan also ratified ILO Conventions 100 on equal 
remuneration and 182 on the elimination of worst forms of child 
labour. It signed the Optional Protocols to Convention on the 
Rights of Child. Recently, the system of joint electorates has 
been introduced respecting the wishes of the minority 
communities," the spokesman said.

  The spokesman said that despite these developments, the report 
states `the Govt's human rights record remained poor'. "This is 
unacceptable and a gross misstatement of facts," the spokesman 
said.

  "The Government of Pakistan, therefore, feels constrained to 
reject the assessment of the report about Pakistan, and the 
tendency of some states to sit in judgement over others. The 
cause of human rights would be better served if all states, in a 
spirit of cooperation and understanding, address the problems 
they face in promoting and protecting human rights."

  He said that the Government of Pakistan remains committed to 
promoting and protecting human rights and will welcome the 
assistance of friendly countries towards that end.