Privacy rights workshop: Protection of rights to individual privacy urged
Privacy rights workshop: Protection of rights to individual privacy urged
By Atif Khan
ISLAMABAD: Lack of awareness of privacy rights among masses and absence of legislation to protect these rights has not served much to improve Pakistan’s image in the region.Speaking at a workshop on awareness of privacy rights on Monday, Privacy International Deputy Director David Banisar said, “Comprehensive legislation and its strict implementation are required to protect the people’s privacy.” Privacy International is a watchdog, working in 75 countries to monitor the status of privacy rights. Banisar said it would rank Pakistan among other countries in the region in terms of protection of privacy rights. He said the workshop was arranged to educate people on privacy rights.Other speakers said no one had the right to invade others’ privacy, honour or reputation according to the UN Declaration on Human Rights. The participants discussed privacy vis-à-vis freedom of expression, data protection, access to state secrets and classified information, media rights and the unauthorised financial disclosures. Journalists and civil society members discussed the factors that worked for spoiling privacy of individuals.They said the government organisations and private companies passed personal information of their clients on to other organisations, which exploited them. They said SNGPL had given a private firm data on defaulters for recovery but the private firm had been reported having harassed the consumers.They demanded that multinational banks observe the same privacy rules in Pakistan as they did in Europe or the US. They said privacy should be defined against the backdrop of different cultures and social values. They said politicians used to exploit public in the name of national interest throughout the world.They said media should respect individuals’ privacy and should not print or air names of torture and rape victims.They said the media should not label under-trial prisoners as criminals until their conviction. They pointed out that media had broadcast an event in which the prime minister was giving donation to a rape victim.
http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/default.asp?page=2008\07\15\story_15-7-2008_pg11_2
By Atif Khan
ISLAMABAD: Lack of awareness of privacy rights among masses and absence of legislation to protect these rights has not served much to improve Pakistan’s image in the region.Speaking at a workshop on awareness of privacy rights on Monday, Privacy International Deputy Director David Banisar said, “Comprehensive legislation and its strict implementation are required to protect the people’s privacy.” Privacy International is a watchdog, working in 75 countries to monitor the status of privacy rights. Banisar said it would rank Pakistan among other countries in the region in terms of protection of privacy rights. He said the workshop was arranged to educate people on privacy rights.Other speakers said no one had the right to invade others’ privacy, honour or reputation according to the UN Declaration on Human Rights. The participants discussed privacy vis-à-vis freedom of expression, data protection, access to state secrets and classified information, media rights and the unauthorised financial disclosures. Journalists and civil society members discussed the factors that worked for spoiling privacy of individuals.They said the government organisations and private companies passed personal information of their clients on to other organisations, which exploited them. They said SNGPL had given a private firm data on defaulters for recovery but the private firm had been reported having harassed the consumers.They demanded that multinational banks observe the same privacy rules in Pakistan as they did in Europe or the US. They said privacy should be defined against the backdrop of different cultures and social values. They said politicians used to exploit public in the name of national interest throughout the world.They said media should respect individuals’ privacy and should not print or air names of torture and rape victims.They said the media should not label under-trial prisoners as criminals until their conviction. They pointed out that media had broadcast an event in which the prime minister was giving donation to a rape victim.
http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/default.asp?page=2008\07\15\story_15-7-2008_pg11_2
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