UN human rights body to review Pakistan's record in Geneva today.

ISLAMABAD -- As the Universal Periodic Review (UPR) Working Group of the United Nations Human Rights Council takes up Pakistan's human rights record at its meeting in Geneva on Monday (today), a few countries, including the United States, have raised specific questions in respect of human rights issues in the country.

Pakistan is one of the countries which will be reviewed by the working group during the session that will continue till Feb 3. Pakistan's first, second and third UPR reviews took place in May 2008, October 2012 and November 2017, respectively.

Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Hina Rabbani Khar will represent the country at the meeting.

The US made inquiries about equitable participation of members of ethnic and religious monitory communities, including women, in society and democratic process.

It also wanted to know about the government's plan to strengthen civilian control of the military, in addition to the government's plan to address the alleged extra-legal use of military force against Pakistan's civilians.

US, a few other countries raise specific questions

Other US questions relate to restrictions on NGOs and INGOs to operate and provide needed aid and services to people in Pakistan, especially in the wake of the devastating floods; freedom of expression, including for journalists, efforts to address climate change and natural disasters in a manner consistent with its obligations under international human rights law, protection of eunuchs and transgender people from violence and discrimination.

Sweden wants to know about the government's actions to assist victims of domestic violence in areas of access to justice, shelter and healthcare; ending impunity of crimes against journalists and media workers; and curbing child marriages.

Panama seeks to learn about future plans to ratify the Second Optional Protocol to the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, aimed at the abolition of death penalty, and Amendment to the Basel Convention on the Control of Trans boundary Movements of Hazardous Wastes and Their Disposal, designed to prohibit hazardous waste exports to developing countries.

Panama further inquired about Pakistan's legislative and policy measures to criminalise all forms of gender-based violence against women and girls, including domestic violence and marital rape, and the availability of support service for the victims; and steps Pakistan is taking to address ongoing threats that terrorist...