ISLAMABAD, May 15: President Gen Pervez Musharraf on Saturday called for a law to ban honour killing and emphasized that the Hudood Ordinance and the Blasphemy Law should be studied afresh to ensure that they were not misused.

Reaffirming a commitment to promotion and protection of human rights at a convention, the president also announced the establishment of an independent national commission to facilitate the implementation of human rights standards in the country.

The National Commission for Human Rights will have an independent status and would report, review and advise on all forms of human rights violations and the redressal of grievances.

President Musharraf told the convention on Sensitization and Adoption of Human Rights Standards in Pakistan that although honour killing was illegal, the passage of a law banning it would lend more strength to Pakistan's efforts at doing away with the intolerable practice.

He said the nation should not shy away from re-examining the Hudood Ordinance by scholars, lawyers and legislators within the teachings of the Holy Qur'an.

The president said: "Islam teaches that we must reach a decision through discussion. So why a discussion be opposed on an ordinance which is the creation of human mind."

Referring to the rights of minorities, he said Pakistan could rightly be proud of its record of treatment with minorities.

"All minorities in Pakistan have the right to freely profess, practise and propagate their religion and also establish, maintain and manage their religious institutions."

Gen Musharraf said his government "takes pride in empowering the minorities" by allowing them the joint electorate as well as giving them reserved seats in parliament, provincial assemblies and local government.

In this context, the president said the Blasphemy Law needed to be looked into so that justice was done and it was not misused to victimize the innocent.

He said Islam "stands for human rights of people" and the last address of the Holy Prophet (Peace Be upon Him) on the occasion of the Hajjat-ul-Widah "can surely be termed the first-ever comprehensive declaration of human rights" as it lays down at length the practical implications of man's obligations to society and regards their fulfilment as a sacred duty.

He said the Father of the Nation, Quaid-i-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah, also believed in the sanctity of fundamental human rights and equality of all citizens of the state.

The president said the Constitution "safeguards basic human rights" and fundamental freedom of all citizens based on the Holy Qur'an, the Sunnah of the Prophet (PBUH) and teachings and the vision of Quaid-I-Azam.

He alluded to the freedom of the media, the establishment of a Commission on the Status of Women, effective measures for reduction of child labour, the replacement of archaic colonial Police Act of 1861 with the Police Order 2002, empowerment of women and equal rights of the minorities as key indicators of Pakistan's efforts.

Referring to initiatives taken for improving the lot of Pakistani women, Gen Musharraf said they had been empowered politically while the process of their economic empowerment was also picking up in the form of low-interest loans from Khushali and Micro Credit bank facilities.

He said more than 40,000 women sat in political authority in different tiers of the government and they enjoyed a 33 per cent representation in the local governments.

The president said his being in uniform had facilitated in taking some vital decisions vis-a-vis the political and socio-economic empowerment of women, rights of minorities and the freedom of expression, which was universally regarded as the essence of democracy.-APP