Treaty Implementation Cell

Treaty Implementation Cell

Government of Pakistan is currently under a number of reporting obligations such as Universal Periodic Review, UN core Human Rights Conventions and GSP+. Whilst these obligations are independent, there is a degree of overlap in terms of the subject matter being reported on. In order to tackle this situation a mechanism of Treaty Implementation Cells (TICs) have been put in place, which aims to enable Federal and Provincial government to effectively implement ratified conventions and to report regularly on the progress being made.

In accordance with the above, TICs have been established in each of the four provinces. These TICs are constituted of provincial line departments, with one such line department heading each TIC. Currently these bodies work under the Minister of Commerce and conduct a monitoring oversight, and coordination role in relation to treaty implementation and reporting.

TOR for Provincial TICs focuses on

• The formulation of effective mechanism for the implementation of the ratified conventions.
• Development of protocols for provincial line department to document the implementation progress.
• The provision of support and guidance to the relevant line department to formulate standardized reporting templates and to generate reports.
• The coordination with the respective line department to collect and compile reporting data
• The formulation of liaison mechanism with the relevant Federal Ministries like Ministry of Commerce, Ministry of Law, foreign Office, for reporting and monitoring.

More ever TICs are developed in the provinces for the sole purposes of ensuring the obligations of Pakistan under International Law are to be completely realized. In addition the key objective of TICs is to update the House of Leader (i-e Chief Minister of the Province) on the obligations of the state under international treaties and to present proposals for their successful implementation and enforcement by updating legislation or implementing new laws. Furthermore the TICs are to notify the relevant departments of provincial governments of international treaty opportunities and challenges.

The Core function of the TIC Sindh is to communicate with all the concerned line departments for gathering of information about various human rights key areas of concerns. It also conducts research and collects data on relevant conventions. The core Unit of Treaty Implementation Cell, established in Ministry of Commerce, acquire data from all the provincial Human Rights Department regarding implementation of 27 UN conventions to further submit it to the European Union. Ministry of Human Rights is linked with all the provincial Human Rights Department for the acquisition of information regarding the current status and implementation of human rights obligations/conventions.

Government of Pakistan is currently under a number of reporting obligations such as Universal Periodic Review, UN core Human Rights Conventions and GSP+. In order to tackle this situation a mechanism of Treaty Implementation Cells (TICs) have been put in place, which aims to enable Federal and Provincial government to effectively implement ratified conventions and to report regularly on the progress being made.

In accordance with the above, Prime Minister set up Treaty Implementation Cell in the Ministry of Commerce to oversee the status of compliance with national obligation under 27 United Nations Convention ratified by Pakistan from time to time in the year 2014.

The first meeting of the Cell was held on 26^th March, 2014 where in it was decided to establish TIC in all the four provinces and the Provincial Secretaries of Law Departments were asked to act as focal points in provinces for obtaining the information required for the reports and implementation status from the various provincial departments and forward it to the relevant Federal Ministry. The core Unit of Treaty Implementation Cell, established in Ministry of Commerce, acquire data from all the provincial Human Rights Department regarding implementation of 27 UN conventions to further submit it to the European Union. Ministry of Human Rights is linked with all the provincial Human Rights Department for the acquisition of information regarding the current status and implementation of human rights obligations/conventions.

More ever TICs are developed in the provinces for the sole purposes of ensuring the obligations of Pakistan under International Law are to be completely realized. In addition the key objective of TICs is to update the House of Leader (i-e Chief Minister of the Province) on the obligations of the state under international treaties and to present proposals for their successful implementation and enforcement by updating legislation or implementing new laws. Furthermore the TICs are to notify the relevant departments of provincial governments of international treaty opportunities and challenges.

TOR for Provincial TICs focuses on

• The formulation of effective mechanism for the implementation of the ratified conventions.
• Development of protocols for provincial line department to document the implementation progress.
• The provision of support and guidance to the relevant line department to formulate standardized reporting templates and to generate reports.
• The coordination with the respective line department to collect and compile reporting data
• The formulation of liaison mechanism with the relevant Federal Ministries like Ministry of Commerce, Ministry of Law, foreign Office, for reporting and monitoring.

Accordingly the Law and Human Rights Department floated a Summary for Chief Minister Sindh for establishment of Treaty Implementation Cell in Sindh on 24-0402014 in the Law and Human Rights Department to develop coordination mechanism with Government of Pakistan as required under UN treaties and conventions signed and ratified by the Government of Pakistan. After the approval of summary the TIC in the Province of Sindh was established on 9^th September, 2014. The Core function of the TIC Sindh is to communicate with all the concerned line departments for gathering of information about various human rights key areas of concerns.

To effectively address the issues relating to human rights violation the Human Rights Department was given an independent entity with full-fledged concentration and established as separate department in December, 2016. Human Right Department was established as independent department vide notification No.SORI(SGA&CD)2-22/2008^(A) of SGA&CD dated 2^nd December, 2016.

The Department has been further strengthened by placing following attached department under its control for checking the human rights violation in its true spirit. The government vide notification No.SORI(SGA&CD)2-22/2008 dated 6^th July, 2018 notified following attached department:

1. Sindh Human Rights Commission Chairmain SHRC
2. Directorate of Human Rights Director Human Rights
3. Treaty Implementation Cell Executive Coordinator