Faisalabad: : Human Rights Focus Pakistan (HRFP) observed Human Rights Day at the Vision Hall, Faisalabad. The event was conducted on the topic of “Freedom, Equality and Justice for All". The theme of 10 December 2023 marks 75 years since the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR) was created in 1948.  

The Civil Society Organizations, HRDs, Religious leaders, Lawyers, Teachers, Youth, Students, Women, Political workers, and different stakeholders participated and discussed, how they thought on the rights are available and what violations they are facing particularly when their freedom, equality and justice had hurdles.  

Naveed Walter president of Human Rights Focus Pakistan (HRFP) said unfortunately even after 75 years, the UDHR has not been practiced and implemented fully in Pakistan, while the country had signed on that from beginning. He said achieving 17 Sustainable Development Goals and Agenda 2030 has been challenging. He said a freedom of religion & belief and the equality based on gender, color, race, religion, economic status has been alarming, whereas the justice has always been a problem, he added. Naveed Walter said that the religious minorities, women, children, laborer, and a common man are easier target of such violations.

Naveed Walter said further in the context of minorities that the Elections 2024 are heading in February 2024, while the last census of 2017 has been controversial. He said the population is a base of political participation and representation as well the reserve seats in National Assemblies and Provincial Assemblies. He elaborates, the reserved seats of minorities, those nominated by the political parties that meant their seats are subject to the party loyalty rather than the minorities, he added.

Naveed Walter president of HRFP said further that the minorities could make a decision-making role in more than 100 constituencies of National and Provincial Assemblies where minorities dominate the voter strength. So, without the minority voters support, it's impossible for competing candidates to win, he added. He said, the Muslim candidates approach the minority voters during elections only and after that they never return for any kind of support or development in their constituencies although their political parties promises with minorities in their manifestos and fulfilling's. While the minority representatives make the minorities feel that they were not elected by their votes but by the political parties and their leaders only, Naveed Walter added.  

During interactive discussions, the panelists Mr. Sohail, Mr. Shadman (HRFP), Mr. Hamdosh (HRFP), Mr. James, Ms. Naseem, Ms. Sadaf, Mr. John, Mr. Saleem, Mr. Manzoor, Ms. Nida, Ms. Nusrat and others talked about that human rights, freedom, equality and justice is equally important for all humans without any kind of biased, the panelists added.

The speakers’ brain storms how to mainstream the people to achieve SDGs and agenda 2030, and to raise and resolve their core issues, to safeguard their fundamental rights, protective measures and religious freedoms, they added. They said there is a dire need to make ignored & marginalized united and have to be focused on achieving agenda 2030, they added.

Later on, the participants recorded a protest demonstration by chanting the slogans through play cards and banners demanding equality, religious liberty and highlighting minorities various issues to “Stop abductions, forced conversions, forced marriages of minority girls”, “Yes to Minorities Election-No to Minorities Selection” ,“Repeal Blasphemy Laws”, “End harassing minorities at workplaces”, “Reform Curriculum- Develop Nation”, “End discrimination on religion based”, “ Lets struggle to ensure Freedom, Equality and Justice for All”.