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Date: 28th April 2005 High-Level PCHR Delegation Participates in WTO & UNCHR
Islamabad. Chairman Parliamentarians Commission for Human Rights Mr. Riaz Fatyana MNA and Executive Director Ms. Kashmala Tariq MNA, on an official visit to Switzerland attended WTO Conference held at Geneva. During the conference, Pakistani dignitaries spoke at length about problems and challenges posed by WTO policies to the developing nations. While representing Pakistan, they maintained that developed nations should reconsider and review their policies taking cognizance of the problems being faced by the developing countries due to WTO regime. To shun biased and discriminatory trade policies formulated by the developed countries, there is need to re-conceptualize the whole existing paradigm of world economic order. While talking to Mr. Kipkorir Aly Azad, the Deputy Director General WTO in his secretariat, both the Pakistani representatives reiterated the apprehensions of developing countries regarding WTO policies and discussed ways and means to make WTO regime friendly in favor of developing countries.
Meanwhile, Riaz Fatyana and Kashmala Tariq also attended United Nations Conference on Human Rights in Geneva as an official observer. Both the delegates discussed the issues of human rights violations in Kashmir, Palestine, Chechnya, and other parts of the world.
While, talking to Mr. Kamel Morjane Acting Chief Commissioner UNHCR, and Mr. Ekber Menemencioglu Director Regional Bureau in Geneva, they maintained that UNHCR should extend its help to Pakistan till the evacuation of remaining refugees in Pakistan. Chairman and Executive Director briefed the heads of UNHCR about the problems of Afghan refugees in Pakistan as well. The Executive Heads of PCHR also informed Mr. Kamel Morjan regarding PCHR legislative initiatives to protect refugees and foreign prisoners in Pakistan.
Pakistan is hosting world's largest refugee population from last three decades without having adequate resources on its part and it the UNHCR financial and technical support that is keeping these refugees alive. The PCHR initiative will also deal with the lacunas in the existing legislation as well as introducing new legislation regarding domestic asylum on its land. In fact, PCHR has suggested amendments in Forefingers Act to remove lacunas concerning legal status of refugees in Pakistan and to provide constitutional provisions for refugees as the Constitution lacks provisions regarding the status of refugees. Due to this lacuna, the asylum seekers and refugees continue to face arbitrary arrest and harassment by the law enforcement agencies. As UNHCR is thinking to waive of its further support to Pakistan in the wake of relative stability in Afghanistan, they accentuated UNHCR officials to continue their support till the withdrawal of refugees and stability in Afghanistan. The delegation was assured by the UNHCR heads that it would continue its support to Pakistan.
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