Islamabad: December 14, 2012. (PCP) The government of Pakistan honors renowned human rights lawyer and rights activist NAEEM SHAKIR for his dedicated and significant service to his people in the field of human rights and rights activism. He was given Human Rights Defender Award in the ceremony by the Raja Pervez Ashraf, the Prime Minister of Pakistan along with twelve others selected from across the country. The ceremony was held at the Prime Minister’s Secretariat in Islamabad on December 10, 2012 in commemoration of International Human Rights Day which was attended by foreign diplomats, parliamentarians and civil society representatives. The UN Resident Coordinator Mr. Timo Pakkala who represented the UNO, in his speech, lauded Pakistan’s efforts in legislation on human rights and rights of women in recent years. The Prime Minister in his address detailed various laws that were promulgated during the tenure of the present government on the subject of human rights and rights of women. He particularly mentioned legislation relating to Christian and Hindus on marriages and divorce. Mr. Naeem Shakir has contributed in the process of legislation of family laws about Christians by redrafting one and a half century old marriage and divorce laws that smacked colonial rule of the British and discrimination against women and had become oppressive and outdated. His services to undo an apartheid mode of separate electorates are acknowledged at all hands which was imposed by the military regime of Gen. Zia in his so-called process of Islamization whereby the Pakistan nation was divided on religious basis and the non-Muslim citizens were thrown out of the national mainstream. The right of franchise was classified on religious grounds that disentitled religious minorities to vote to their Muslim compatriots who were ninety five percent of the total population of Pakistan. A book titled “AN APARTHEID MODE OF SEPARATE ELECTORATES” speaks volumes for his political activism to bring an end to such an apartheid which was imposed in 1985 and remained in force during four general elections of the country and ended in 2002. Naeem Shakir has served the marginalized sections of the society as a lawyer and rights activist. He has served as defense counsel for the victims especially for Christians who were falsely roped in high profile criminal cases under controversial Blasphemy Law being used for settling personal scores, religious persecution, land grabbing and professional rivalry. His struggles for a democratic order and against discriminatory laws including blasphemy laws are well known. The civil society of Pakistan has widely appreciated the government’s step to recognize the dedicated human rights defender Naeem Shakir. “