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Summary Foreign Minister Hina Rabbani Khar says that Pakistan is committed to protection of human rights.
She was addressing a session of the Universal Periodic Review of Pakistan at the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva on Tuesday.She said that Pakistan had played a constructive role in building convergences between West and Islamic world on the most contentious and challenging issues in the Human Rights Council.The foreign minister said Pakistan welcomes the review as the exercise is an important opportunity to share with the international community regarding promotion and protection of human rights.She said Pakistan has taken a number of steps to restore the democratic nature of state institutions.The foreign minister said Pakistan is a functional democracy today with an elected and sovereign parliament‚ an independent judiciary‚ a free media and a vibrant and robust civil society.Hina Rabbani Khar said Pakistan is passing through hard times and is facing enormous challenges on different fronts‚ ranging from security and terrorism to the economy.However‚ it remains steadfast in its commitment to the promotion and protection of human rights.She said that during the last four years‚ there have been transformational changes in our constitutional and legislative framework.The foreign minister said Pakistan has ratified seven out of nine core international human rights treaties‚ which demonstrates its commitment to international human rights standards.Referring to terrorism and extremism‚ the Foreign Minister said Pakistan lost nearly seven thousand soldiers and thousands civilians in war on terror.The total cost of this struggle to Pakistans economy over the last decade has been nearly seven billion dollars.She described the reaction the world witnessed to the heinous attack on young Malala Yousufzai‚ as one clear indicator of Pakistans clarity of purpose in fighting terrorism.Hina Rabbani Khar said drone strikes and resulting civilian casualties on Pakistans territory undermine our battle for hearts and minds. Drone attacks are counter-productive‚ against international law and a violation of our sovereignty.
