By Our Correspondent
LAHORE: The Secretary, Human Rights and Minorities Affairs Department (HR&MA) Punjab, Farid Ahmed Tarrar, attended the Consultation Workshop on the National Action Plan on Business and Human Rights (NAP-BHR), held at a private hotel in Lahore.
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The event was organized by the Research Society of International Law (RSIL) in partnership with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) under the EU-funded Huqooq-e-Pakistan Project II. The workshop brought together representatives from the provincial government, private sector, academia, and civil society organizations to review the progress of the first five-year cycle of Pakistan’s National Action Plan on Business and Human Rights (NAP-BHR).
Speaking on the occasion, Secretary HR&MA Mr. Farid Ahmed Tarrar emphasized the importance of multi-stakeholder collaboration for the effective realization of human rights in business practices. He remarked that the he National Action Plan on Business and Human Rights provides us with a vital framework to ensure that economic growth in Punjab goes hand in hand with respect for human dignity and international human rights commitments. As we review the progress of the first cycle, it is imperative that we address implementation gaps and strengthen provincial mechanisms for monitoring, accountability, and awareness-raising. The HR&MA Department is fully committed to working with all stakeholders—including the private sector, civil society, and international partners to create a business environment that is not only economically vibrant but also socially just and inclusive. He further appreciated the technical support extended by UNDP, the European Union, and the RSIL team under the Huqooq-e-Pakistan Project II, which has played a key role in building institutional capacity and providing evidence-based policy recommendations. During the consultation, participants engaged in focus group discussions to assess achievements, challenges, and systemic gaps across the eight priority areas identified in the NAP-BHR. The session also explored the experiences of stakeholders in operationalizing the plan in Punjab and proposed policy and legal reforms for strengthening responsible business conduct, human rights due diligence, and access to remedy.
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