PESHAWAR:Advisor on Information and Public Relations, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Samar Haroon Bilour, has emphasized the need for effective institutional coordination, information sharing, and a joint strategy to ensure the protection of human rights.
In a statement issued from her office, she said efforts were being focused on linking human rights-related institutions across the province through a common digital portal and strengthening the mechanism for complaint redressal.
Samar Haroon Bilour said that various government institutions were working within their respective legal mandates to protect human rights. However, the lack of an effective system for coordination and information sharing could lead to delays in resolving complaints and duplication of efforts. She said the proposed digital portal would help address these challenges and make the complaint redressal process more efficient.
She clarified that the initiative would not involve the establishment of any new parallel institution. Instead, existing institutions would be connected through a shared digital system.
The portal would provide a unified platform for receiving human rights-related complaints, referring them to the relevant institutions, monitoring progress, and maintaining records of final outcomes.
All participating institutions would continue to perform their functions within their respective legal mandates.
The Information Advisor said the Department of Social Welfare, police, ombudsman offices, and other institutions dealing with human rights would be linked to the common portal. This would facilitate the timely referral of complaints to the relevant authorities and ensure effective monitoring of progress.
She also stressed the need to expedite practical measures for establishing an effective complaint referral mechanism and ensuring the secure exchange of information.
Highlighting the importance of strengthening human rights protection and institutional coordination at the district level, Samar Haroon Bilour said Additional Deputy Commissioners (Relief and Human Rights) in every district should play an effective role in referring human rights-related matters and complaints to the relevant institutions.
She also emphasized the importance of establishing human rights help desks at the offices of District Police Officers (DPOs) to facilitate complaint registration and improve citizens’ access to the relevant authorities.
She said the common digital portal initiative would be implemented with the support of the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) under the European Union-funded programme Huqooq-e-Pakistan (Rights of Pakistan).
She added that the initiative would not place any additional financial burden on provincial resources.
The Information Advisor urged the relevant institutions to expedite practical measures for establishing the common digital portal, ensuring secure information sharing, and developing an effective complaint referral mechanism.
She directed the concerned institutions to submit a detailed briefing within one month on progress made in developing the portal and the concrete steps taken so far, so that the implementation of the initiative could be reviewed.