Pakistan SC to set up new bench for minority rights

 Pakistan's Supreme Court has ordered setting up of a special bench to hear matters connected to fundamental rights of the country's minorities, reports said on Thursday.

According to reports in the Pakistani media, the decision has been sent to the Chief Justice. The court also ordered office space and necessary staff for the minority rights commission and sought a response from the federal and the provincial governments within a month.

The court's direction came as it heard a plea on minority rights filed by ruling Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaaf lawmaker Ramesh Kumar, alleging that the minister concerned was not working for minority rights, and the minority commission had not been even given office space.

The court told Kumar that he was part of the ruling dispensation, and could get the work done, but he lamented that the minister concerned was not doing anything.

The court also observed that it seemed that the government was doing something for the welfare of minorities, and referred to the the Kartarpur Corridor in this context. It also said that everyone had the right to follow their own faith.IANS