LAHORE: Trade union leaders, human rights and labour rights activists, lawyers, representatives of industrialists and government on Thursday expressed serious concern on the deteriorating situation of human rights, labour rights and civic spaces for civil society organisations in Pakistan.
Addressing a multi-stakeholders consultation on “human rights treaties and core labour rights”, jointly organised by the Pakistan Institute of Labour Education and Research (PILER) and South Asia Partnership Pakistan (SAP-Pk), the civil society organisations demanded to end enforced disappearance of rights activists and repression of minorities.
Despite the fact that Pakistan has ratified all important conventions related to human rights, labour rights, human rights for women, children and religious minorities, the situation of legislation and implementation of those international commitments is not encouraging. Pakistan has committed to enforcing 27 conventions and covenants in order to avail the Generalised System of Preferences (GSP) Plus, but there is a little progress on implementation of human rights and labour rights.
“GSP-Plus agreement is quite different from other international agreements. It carries no benefits for the European Union that has granted this status,” said IA Rehman of Human Rights Commission of Pakistan. He added that the entire benefit of GSP-Plus is in favour of Pakistan whether in the form of the accompanying conventions or in the form of non-tariff exports.
Executive Director of the Pakistan Institute of Labour Education and Research (PILER) Karamat Ali said that the withdrawal of moratorium against execution and repressive actions against minorities are the main cause of concern for Europeans, which may jeopardise Pakistan’s status of GSP-Plus. He added that the withdrawal of GSP-Plus would also hit workers.
South Asia Partnership, Pakistan Deputy Director Irfan Mufti referred to Pakistan’s inclusion in fragile states. The state of Pakistan keeps demanding sovereignty in the international community, but it is denying sovereignty and fundamental freedoms to its own citizens, he said.
Giving a presentation regarding shrinking spaces in Pakistan, Advocate Asad Jamal said the restrictions have been created for the media. Journalists have been killed, injured and arrested, and attacks were made on media houses in 2016, while the situation has not improved in 2017, he added. He added that the electoral reforms process must be expedited so that the Election Commission of Pakistan and other relevant officials get enough time to implement them.
Special steps need to be taken to bridge the serious gender-gap in the electoral rolls.
He said that a human rights and peace activist Raza Mahmood Khan had been picked up from Lahore and no state agency has taken responsibility despite the passage of three weeks. This is an attempt to force the people to stay silent, he added.
Lahore Chamber of Commerce and Industry Research Director Dr Nadia Tahir said that Pakistan does not score high on business competitiveness and running a business is costly in the country. She noted that the discrimination between wages of women and men, in the same sector and the same job, is stark.
Centre for Social Justice Executive Director Peter Jacob said that there is a discrepancy in the data regarding minorities in Pakistan. He added that the literacy rate among minority communities is low.
Punjab Commission on Status of Women Project Manager Aliya Khan said that the commission provides data to the government twice a year.
All Pakistan Textile Mills Association (APTMA) MIS Secretary Abdul Waheed said that the association has taken measures including the establishment of Sustainable Production Centre with the support from GIZ. Under the Corporate Social Responsibility initiatives, many social welfare activities have been initiated and the association contributes Rs600 million every year on account of cotton cess.
