Pakistan re-elected to UN Human Rights Council

 

UNITED NATIONS: Pakistan was on 21 May 2008 re-elected to the Human Rights Council, the UN top rights body, to serve a 3-year term. Elections to fill 15 of the 47 seats on the Geneva-based Council took place in the 192-member General Assembly. The Council was established by the UN General Assembly on 9 May 2006.

 

Six countries contested the four positions distributed to Asian States. The three other countries elected were Japan, Bahrain and South Korea. Pakistan polled 114 votes when 97 votes were required.

 

“This success reflects the renewed international confidence in Pakistan following the restoration of full democracy in the country,” Pakistan’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations, Ambassador Munir Akram told the media.

The victory, he said, was the outcome of considerable hard work done by the Pakistan Mission to the United Nations, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Pakistani embassies abroad.”

Ambassador Akram said: “Pakistan looks forward to continuing its active contribution to the promotion and protection of human rights all over the world, especially right of the people to development and economic and social prosperity as well as political and civil freedom.”  

 

Pakistan Foreign Office Spokesman Muhammad Sadiq, commenting on the re-election of Pakistan said the reelection to the eminent inter-government body was a result of a vigorous and coordinated campaign. He said the success was all the more important since it was achieved in the face of a campaign conducted by certain organizations against Pakistan’s election.

 

Pakistan also seeks to promote universal respect for all religious, cultural and social values. Pakistan expects the Council to play a pivotal role in preventing defamation of all religions and to serve as a forum for forging cultural and religious harmony in the world.

 

Pakistan’s previous term as Member of HRC was due to expire on 19 June 2008.

 

Zambia, Ghana, Burkina Faso and Gabon were chosen in that order to fill the four vacant African seats. The three seats up for grabs in the Latin America and the Caribbean region - successful candidates in each category must obtain an absolute majority of valid votes cast by the 192 General Assembly members - went to Chile, Brazil and Argentina. In the East European category, Slovakia and Ukraine won the two available seats.

The closest contest occurred in the race for the two vacant seats in the Western European and Other States category. France scored 123 votes and the United Kingdom picked up 120, edging out Spain, which garnered 119 votes.

Overall, the 47 members of the Council include 13 from Africa, 13 from Asia, six from Eastern Europe, eight from Latin America and the Caribbean, and seven from Western Europe and Other States.

 

The first session of the Council will be held in Geneva from 19 June 2008.

 

Courtesy: International news sources