KARACHI:“Pakistan movement has been through continuous turbulence as there was a desire to push Muslims towards poverty, and not to let them any political or human rights. Muslims were the special target and they sacrificed their lives for the creation of this country.
This was stated by Barrister Shahida Jamil, former Federal Minister for Law, Justice, Parliamentary Affairs and Human Rights While talking about the history of human violation during the creation of Pakistan at the fourth interactive series of “ZU Dialogues titled, “Human Rights Vision 2020 and Beyond” to mark the International Human Rights Day organized by Ziauddin University Wednesday. The online session of dialogues was broadcasted live on the ZU facebook page.
The aim behind this online dialogue session was to enhance the knowledge and understanding of human rights, and foster attitudes of tolerance, respect, solidarity, and responsibility, also, to develop skills for protecting human rights.
Jamil further said that on women’s rights she said that all credit goes to the women of the earlier generation to stand up and fight for the rights of women. It is really appreciable the way they started the women rights movement and broke all the seals of conservativeness so that we could move forward without any kind of fence in our way. “Value human’s rights, talk about human rights, keep struggling for human rights, try to exercise your rights without harming the rights of the others”.
Hina Jilani, founding member of the Human Rights Commission of Pakistan and the Women’s Action Forum, expressed her views about the marginalization issues during the online dialogue session that unfortunately, the whole problem of not being able to fulfill the aspiration that the constitution, objective of resolution, statement of leadership in different eras of this country are all false. Look at your own constitution of 1973 which clearly shows that state and society both played vital roles in the marginalization. Objective resolutions are clearly giving priority to the majority population of this country according to their religion, sect, and gender. This superiority makes a strong bond of the majority population of the people over other minorities. State doesn’t take have any responsibility for any religion other than the Islam.
She further added that there is a big difference between a world “tolerance” and “adjustment” minorities shouldn’t be tolerated they should be adjusted, there should be a structure plan for them in the state and state’s structure. We should give respect to their believes. In fact, there is discrimination within the minorities since last 3-4 decades. Minorities are only being recognized as a non-Muslim according to our constitution. Neither we are homogeneous nor we will be. Different levels of citizenship would be created if the state continuously injects a lesson of superiority to some majority population”.
While talking about women’s rights Hina Jilani disclosed that the Rasheed Commission never raised its voice against violence on women. Women’s rights have always been suppressed because of political sensitivity and religious sensitivity. Over the decades women have been working really hard for getting their rights through different movements but unfortunately the state and some specific groups of society always created barriers in the ways of women.
While presenting the contrast dialogue about minority’s rights in the context of pre and post-existence of Pakistan, Saroop Ijaz Senior Counsel Asia Division, Human Rights Watch carried out by saying “we have failed to grant and secure minority rights both at institutional level and societal level. It includes the fundamental basis of equality of citizenships for minorities, equality of citizenship for women, equality of citizenship for ethnic minorities. Sadly, we have replicated the faith-based class system. We need to aware the public about societal tolerance for inclusion, for mistreatment of societies for prejudice. Currently, we have a challenge for not being a majoritarian. In Pakistan, the concept of democracy is confused with majoritarian that is turning out to be a big problem.”
On the question about refugees, he stated “we have welcomed the world’s largest population of Afghan refugees on our land even after knowing that we do have our own existing issues. But here, the issue is that we haven’t followed any legal instruments or any legal law for refugees which means they are living here without following any legal law due to which we saw increased crackdown, mistreatment, discrimination, arrest, forcefully patriation etc. which is against the international law. We need to fight terrorism not because of FATF, we need to fight for the people of Pakistan.”
Prof Dr Pirzada Qasim, Vice Chancellor, Ziauddin University expressed his grief by saying “our forefathers have sacrificed their precious lives for getting this country and I feel saddened to say that even after getting independence still we are struggling and fighting to get human rights and raise our voice. All human beings are born free and equal in dignity and rights, no one has any right to violate any human’s rights.”
The ZU Dialogues is a series of interactive panel discussions, initiated by Amir Shahzad, heading the PR and Communications department and under supervision of Prof. Dr. Pirzada Qasim, Vice Chancellor, Ziauddin University. Renowned personalities/analysts are invited to give their valuable expert opinions on different aspects of social, political, cultural and socio-economic topics, as well as to conclude discussion with some good constructive ideas and suggestions.