By Asim Hussain
ISLAMABAD: Federal Minister for Human Rights Mian Riaz Hussain Pirzada here on Thursday chaired a high-level meeting at the Ministry to get a detailed briefing on the working of all wings and attached departments of the Ministry.
While discussing the current situation of human rights in country and international significance of the subject, the minister issued various instructions to the heads of different projects to ensure protection of rights of downtrodden and most disadvantaged segments of society such as minorities, transgender persons, minor children, women and persons with disabilities.
He particularly advised the officers concerned to get updated data from all federal ministries and departments on observing the 2 percent employment quota reserved for disabled persons.
He said that Ministry would take every necessary step to implement this quota and other regional quotas that are prescribed under rules so that all regions have their fair and equitable representation in government institutions.
About the establishment of commission under the Protection of Journalists and Media Professionals Act, 2021, the minister desired to have an early interaction with journalists who contributed in the draft Bill to know their feedback on current developments with respect to commission and other issues they are facing in the discharge of their professional duties.
The minister also got briefing about the awareness campaigns that are run under the Ministry.
He emphasized on creating and disseminating more stuff through all media platforms particularly on inheritance rights of women, rights of inmates and jail reforms. He asked to conduct seminars and trainings sessions for different stakeholders especially for students in universities all over Pakistan to make them aware to raise voice against discrimination and violation of rights in society.
Moreover, the minister assigned the duty to the DG Child Protection Institute to collect relevant information and data on ongoing research on child pornography and submit her recommendations that how the Ministry can contribute to such kind of research to control this lethal menace.
In his concluding remarks, the minster urged the officers to serve diligently for the cause of human rights to bring a positive social change from the platform of this ministry.
