ISLAMABAD: Speakers at a seminar emphasised on Friday that political parties must develop concrete plans to make progress on addressing human rights issues.

The seminar titled ‘Political Parties’ Priorities and Minorities’ Rights’ focused on the need for political parties to focus on making efforts to improve their performance, and deliver on promises to address outstanding human rights issues.

At this juncture, the Centre for Social Justice (CSJ) report titled ‘Promises to Keep and Miles to Go’ based on the analysis of pledges, actions, and performance regarding minority rights made by political parties was launched. The report highlighted that political parties in the government and opposition largely failed to implement their pledges fully in the last three parliamentary tenures.

The study found that PTI fulfilled none out of five promises made in the election manifesto 2018, though it made partial progress on two promises. Pakistan Muslim League-N failed to materialise nine out of 10 promises.

Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) partially implemented one out of eight promises. The study showed that one-third of the pledges in parties’ manifestos throughout three election years — 2008, 2013, 2018 — were common including minority representation, establishing a statutory minority commission, criminalising forced conversions, reviewing curriculum, implementing job quotas and reviewing discriminatory laws. However, the pledges remain unfulfilled.

Peter Jacob, the executive director of CSJ, said that the manifesto analysis impressed upon the seriousness that was required on part of all stakeholders, parliamentarians, political parties. The electorate in general and ultimately the political system needs fundamental reforms to deliver on pledges made by political parties with the electorate, and the promises made in the Constitution of Pakistan with citizens regarding fulfilling human rights, he said.

“CSJ is cognisant of the fact that the opportunity of upcoming elections 2023 should not be lost, and political parties should make meaningful and realistic pledges with a certain roadmap to deliver on the promises, which will improve the quality of politics and the political process in Pakistan,” he said.

Former senator Afrasiab Khattak said that the lack of political parties’ commitment to fulfilling their promises made in the election manifestos had caused disappointment among citizens. Pakistan was created on the ideals of federation and democracy and it was sad that the state had adopted extremism as an ideal, and political parties built narratives based on criticising the actions of political opponents and misuse religion in political matters, which badly affected peaceful coexistence, and nation building. The provisions of the Constitution guaranteed that equality of citizenship should be respected and implemented, he demanded.

Dr AH Nayyar said that political parties should muster the courage to adopt progressive policy reforms to address human rights abuses and violations, particularly on the basis of religion.

Dr Huma Chughtai said that rights of equal citizenship were guaranteed in the Constitution of Pakistan irrespective of any discrimination. The onus was on political parties to address human rights abuses and violations, particularly discrimination, intolerance, and extremism on the basis of religion but they failed to introduce progressive reforms dedicated to religious freedom and minorities’ rights.

The report revealed that the Punjab government during 2008 and 2022 introduced 11 policy actions followed by the federal government, Balochistan with eight, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa with seven, and Sindh with six actions.

Published in Dawn, January 21st, 2023