Minister for Women Development and Human Rights Anis Haroon has said the caretaker government has taken initiatives to enforce and establish the Sindh Human Rights Commission as per law.
The minister stated this while presiding over the first introductory meeting of the Sindh Human Rights Commission on Tuesday at the committee hall of Sindh Assembly.
Haroon said the same was passed by the Sindh Assembly in 2011 and came into force on May 1, 2013, after the approval of caretaker Chief Minister Justice (r) Zahid Qurban Alavi.
The competent authority notified the establishment of Sindh Human Rights Commission under chairperson Justice (r) Mrs Majida Rizvi.
Syed Gul Munir Shah, (r) District & Session Judge, Parkash Lal Ambwani, (r) District & Session Judge, Ms Salma Baloch, Lecturer Sindh University Jamshoro, Ms Rubina Brohi Advocate and two members of provincial Assembly of Sindh nominated by the Sindh Assembly speaker would be the members of the commission. The human rights department director would be the member/secretary of the commission.
Later on, the human rights director briefed the member about the function of human rights commission and informed that the commission should inquire into the suo motu or the petition presented to it by the victims. No court shall have jurisdiction to entertain any proceeding or make any other order in relations to anything done or purported to be done under this Act. No suit or legal proceeding should be initiated against the government, commission or officers and servants in respect of anything done or purported to be done in good faith under the Act.
He elaborated that the commission would also formulate, implement and regularly update policies with a view to protect human rights and initiate human rights literacy among various sections of the society and promote awareness for protection of human rights through print and electronic media, seminars and other means. The meeting of the commission will be held once in three months.
The Sindh Human Rights Commission fund should be established, which consists of grant-in-aid from government, endowments, donations and contribution from public, district government and other institutions.
He also informed about three projects – human rights complaint cell, legal aid programme and series of awareness campaign. On the occasion Secretary Law and Human Rights Ghulam Nabi Shah and Additional Secretary Law Aslam Shaikh were also present in the meeting.