*ISLAMABAD: *Pakistan has officially ‘noted’ a recommendation made duringthe third Universal Periodic Review (UPR) which suggest repealing lawsbarring adultery and non-marital consensual sex, Tribune has reported.
It has also noted, among hundreds of other recommendations, others whichsuggest decriminalising such activities, and ensuring punishment for allperpetrators of violence against participants and those who may call forsuch violence, including members and leaders of jirgas.
The UPR recommendations-2017 –copies of which are available with TheExpress Tribune and online at the UPR’s website, show that the firstrecommendation was given by Canada, and the second by Czechia (formerly theCzech Republic). ‘Noted’ – Pakistan’s response – means that the countrywill consider this recommendation and take a final decision on eitheraccepting or rejecting it at a later time, officials explained.
An official working closely with the Ministry of Human Rights confirmedthat the recommendation was officially ‘noted’. “Pakistan adopted the thirdcycle of UPR last month. The Office of the United Nations High Commissionerfor Human Rights (OHCHR) will issue the official document in coming days,”they said, adding that the document which is publically available wasissued after Pakistan’s review in November 2017.
The UPR was introduced by the United Nations General Assembly in 2006 andinvolves a unique process of periodic review of human rights records of allUN member states. The process lets states quantify steps needed forimprovement in human rights situations around the globe.
In 2008, Pakistan received 51 recommendations, of which it accepted 43 andrejected eight. These eight pertained to the decriminalisation ofdefamation and non-marital sexual relations, ending abuse of blasphemylaws, legal reforms to ensure punishments in ‘honour killings’ and theabolition of the death penalty.
Many of these were also either noted or accepted in the most recent UPR.