Statement 1?)7Pakistan in Response to False Allegations by NGOs during the Seventh Session of Minority Forum (26 November 2014) Mr. Chairman, In our statement, we would like to exercise right of reply to the baseless allegations leveled against Pakistan by a couple of NGOs. Lawyer Adel Ghaffar The Government of Pakistan is committed to ensure protection and promotion of human rights of all citizens, without discrimination on any ground including ethnicity or political affiliation. The allegations of discrimination and persecution of Muhajirs are preposterous. Muhajirs have been and are actively participating in all walks of national life, i.e., business, media, academia, state institutions including armed forces and other specialized fields. There is no victimization of Muhajirs on the basis of their political affiliation. MQM one of the political parties mentioned in the intervention, was part of coalition during the tenure of previous government which completed its term in2o13. On 22 April 2014 MQM formally rejoined the Government of Sindh with slots of two Ministers, two Advisors and one Special Assistant. It should also be noted that Mr. Ishrat-ul-Ebad who has the distinction of the longest-serving governor of the Province of Sindh i.e., since 2002, also belongs to MQM. Persecution of a political party which has been and is still in power defies reason and logic. We would also like to highlight that the politically motivated complaint by MQM to one of the Mechanisms of HRC was dropped by Working Group on situations which demonstrates that charges leveled against the country are baseless and fabricated.

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