NA body forms subcommittee to examine plight of refugees.

ISLAMABAD -- A parliamentary body on Tuesday formed a subcommittee to examine the plight of refugees, particularly Afghan refugees and other stateless people in the country.

To be headed by MNA Zaib Jaffer, the subcommittee would also look into the social, political and economic impacts resulting from the stay of refugees in the country.

It would also report on the implementation of various policy decisions announced from time to time regarding stateless individuals in Pakistan and to propose a comprehensive legislative and policy reform to address the issue.

These decisions were taking at a meeting of the National Assembly Standing Committee on Human Rights with MNA Dr Mahreen Razzaq Bhutto in the chair.

NCRC representatives brief lawmakers about child rights legislative reforms

National Commission on the Rights of Child (NCRC) Chairperson Afshan Tehseen briefed the committee and said NCRC was constituted by the federal government in 2020 in accordance with its international obligations such as United Nations Convention on the Rights of Children (UNCRC).

The commission has an overarching mandate for the promotion, protection and fulfillment of child rights. The NCRC has to ensure that all laws, policies, programmes and administrative mechanisms were aligned with the child rights perspective as enshrined in the Constitution. The functions of the commission included examining existing or proposed legislations and administrative instruments and proposals related to child rights and make recommendation as appropriate. The commission also built liaison with federal and provincial commissions set up under provincial laws and other concerned provincial organisations.

Moreover, it advised the federal government to sign, ratify or accede to any such proposed international treaties. The committee showed concerns over the financial and administrative issues faced by the commission and directed to resolve them immediately.

The member NCRC from Islamabad briefed the committee...