ISLAMABAD: Political parties have a fundamental role in making a human rights agenda and though their manifestos claim they believe in human rights, none of the parties make it a priority, said PPP Senator Farhatullah Babar.

`Political parties should agree on a minimum agenda including that there should be a right to expression and the right to assembly. During the last two years, death penalties were announced via tweets. We need to reconsider the death penalty and if cannot be banned, it should not be the punishment for 27 offences,` he said.

Speaking at a seminar titled `Towards Human Rights Compliance` on Wednesday which was hosted by the think tank Democracy Reporting International (DRI), MrBabar suggested all parties make one charter on basic human rights Senator Babar added that the right to expression has been compromised due to national security and that there should be a balance between national security interests and public interest.

Military courts will be ending in January next year, and we should not try to extend this deadline, he said.

There is a general decline in the performance of political parties and there is therefore a need for more democracy and accountability in political parties, he added.

National Commission on the Status of Women Chairperson Khawar Mumtaz said there was need to generate information.

`Violence against women is a big issue on which we need to conduct surveys, because we only rely on newspapers, which sensa-tionalise news,` she said.

Sindh Human Rights Commission Chairperson retired Justice Majida Rizvi said ef forts were being made to incorporate human rights in the curriculum.

`Subcommittees of experts have been constituted for guiding the commission and a 24-hour Human Rights Complaints Cell has also been established,` shesaid.

DRI representative Mohammad Rafique said human rights are being violated on a large scale.

`Women who pick cotton are not paid enough and there is a need to make labour friendly policies along with investor friendly policies,` he said.

Pakistan Institute of Labour Education joint director and researcher Zulfiqar Ali Shah said only 1pc of Pakistani workers are organised due to which the majority cannot raise a voice for their rights.tionalise news,` she said.

Sindh Human Rights Commission Chairperson retired Justice Majida Rizvi said ef forts were being made to incorporate human rights in the curriculum.

`Subcommittees of experts have been constituted for guiding the commission and a 24-hour Human Rights Complaints Cell has also been established,` shesaid.

DRI representative Mohammad Rafique said human rights are being violated on a large scale.

`Women who pick cotton are not paid enough and there is a need to make labour friendly policies along with investor friendly policies,` he said.

Pakistan Institute of Labour Education joint director and researcher Zulfiqar Ali Shah said only 1pc of Pakistani workers are organised due to which the majority cannot raise a voice for their rights.tionalise news,` she said.

Sindh Human Rights Commission Chairperson retired Justice Majida Rizvi said ef forts were being made to incorporate human rights in the curriculum.

`Subcommittees of experts have been constituted for guiding the commission and a 24-hour Human Rights Complaints Cell has also been established,` shesaid.

DRI representative Mohammad Rafique said human rights are being violated on a large scale.

`Women who pick cotton are not paid enough and there is a need to make labour friendly policies along with investor friendly policies,` he said.

Pakistan Institute of Labour Education joint director and researcher Zulfiqar Ali Shah said only 1pc of Pakistani workers are organised due to which the majority cannot raise a voice for their rights.