KP government urges a rethink on human rights

ISLAMABAD: Emphasizing on the need to safeguard the residents of the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, the government on Sunday said that it would make it mandatory for the police to ensure that basic rights of life and liberty are extended to all individuals.
A human rights policy posted on the government's website highlights the concrete measures undertaken by the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) province to address issues raised by the public. These include establishing local government institutions, statutory commissions for transparent governance, and undertaking criminal justice reforms.
“Human rights' training shall be made part of the police training curriculum. This will focus on Pakistan's commitments to ensure human rights and will be in line with international best practices,” a document released by the KP government, titled Human Rights Policy 2018, read.
It added that the provincial government encourages all relevant departments "to adopt necessary measures to promote understanding, respect, and protection of the civil and political rights of all individuals".
It also seeks to strengthen local government institutions, tasked with promoting and protecting civil and political rights without discrimination, while reiterating its commitment to improve the conditions of women and children in the province.
The document also proposes a legislation to address violations, if any, for individuals in police custody, even as it looks to protect the rights of transgenders and the elderly.
While addressing the issue of domestic violence, the policy suggests making it a criminal offence and proposes measures -- such as establishing women protection centres -- to provide medical, therapeutic and legal assistance to victims.
The policy further urges authorities to set up forensic facilities to probe cases of sexual violence, too.
Another social evil which featured heavily in the document was the issue of child labor. The policy proposes free compulsory education for underprivileged children and urges the local government's institutions to impart training on child abuse. “Teachers and parents should also be trained in this regard,” the document added.