OIC IPHRC urges States to introduce strong anti-corruption legislation

ISLAMABAD, January 7: The seventh international seminar of the OIC Independent Permanent Human Rights Commission on Corruption and Human Rights has adopted Islamabad Declaration urging all states to introduce strong anti-corruption legislation and step up efforts to address the injustices and other negative consequences of corruption. The declaration was adopted at the concluding session of the seminar in Islamabad on Friday. It noted that recovering and returning confiscated assets and illicit financial flows can contribute to effective resource mobilization, poverty eradication, sustainable development and the enjoyment of all human rights particularly for the developing countries. The declaration encouraged all OIC states to enhance the capacity of the judiciary, prosecution service and law enforcement agencies to combat corruption. It further asked them to establish fully equipped, empowered and independent accountability institutions capable to investigate corruption including sophisticated transnational crimes in an independent and impartial manner. The declaration also called for the establishment of an OIC intergovernmental working group to actively explore innovative ideas and initiatives to strengthen the existing international framework to prevent corruption and to end impunity. The declaration stressed the need for integrating the role of technology in promoting increased transparency, accountability, accessibility and citizen participation. It also commended the leading and commendable role played by Pakistan in highlighting the scourge of corruption and its impact on human rights at all the national and international levels. Addressing the concluding session, Minister for Human Rights Shireen Mazari called for fighting corruption, money laundering and illicit financial flows in a cohesive and cooperative manner. She stressed that concerted national and international efforts are essential to deal with this multidimensional and transnational issue. The Minister for Human Rights stressed for repatriation of stolen assets from save havens. She said these safe havens provide a way out for the corrupt to safeguard their assets gained through corruption. She said the FATF needs to take cognizance of the safe havens where money laundering continues to be held. As regards Pakistan, ShireenMazari said Pakistan is the first South Asian and the third Asian country which has launched National Action Plan on Business and Human Rights. She said this action plan is a vital tool to protect human rights as well as fight corruption at the state and business enterprises level. ShireenMazari said we have also enacted Protection of Journalists and Media Professional legislation to ensure freedom of expression so that the ills of society can be exposed and mitigated. -DNA