Pakistan rejects US human rights report claims

Islamabad, March 25 : Pakistan on Friday rejected as flawed the US State Department's Human Rights Report 2016, which has scathingly criticised the country on account of human rights situation.

The US State Department in its annual report on human rights around the world earlier this month alleged that Pakistan is involved in "human rights violations" including "poor implementation and enforcement of laws, and frequent mob violence and vigilante justice, gender inequality, violence against gender and sexual minorities, and sectarian violence", Xinhua news agency reported.

Pakistan Foreign Ministry spokesman termed the document as the "so-called Country Reports on HR Practices for 2016".

"As a matter of principle, we do not recognise validity of unilateral approaches including reports sitting in judgment of other states. As such, these reports are invariably inherently flawed and lack objectivity. It comes as no surprise that as regards Pakistan, the Report is far removed from facts and depicts a grossly inaccurate and misrepresented picture," Nafees Zakaria said.

The spokesman told his weekly briefing that Pakistan remains deeply committed to the promotion and protection of human rights of all its citizens.

"The Government accords high priority to advancing the mutually reinforcing objectives of development, human rights and democracy for the people of Pakistan. Many international obligations have been undertaken by Pakistan besides a number of important domestic initiatives for the promotion and protection of human rights," he said when his attention was invited to the US report.

He further said Pakistan is fully conscious of its international and national obligations with regard to promotion and protection of human rights, and the Government remains committed in its resolve to ensure fundamental rights, prosperity and well-being of all the people of Pakistan.

"International cooperation and constructive dialogue coupled with adherence to international conventions are the best ways of promoting the common objective of universal human rights. Countries that are not even party to some of the core human rights conventions have no standing to question others," Zakaria said.