islamabad - Free legal aid toll free helpline on human rights violations had so far received around 42,505 after its inception in May last year. Among these calls received to the helpline number 1099 working under Ministry of Human Rights (MoHR), an official of helpline Thursday informed that almost 80 per cent calls were irrelevant as people were not aware about the objective of the service.

Around 833 people were given free legal advice beside 241 case referral instantly while 40 cases were referred to relevant departments and agencies to address the problems, he told APP. “We have entertained around 2000 calls related to WAPDA issues which were not directly linked to us but we contacted the department and get number of a focal person to satisfy the callers”, he added. He said initially, the help line was rendering service from 8 am to 4 pm but now they have extended its time to 10 pm and soon it would be functional round the clock.

Kashif further informed, “The timings are increased as first step while our ultimate goal is to ensure this facility round the clock so that no one can remain away from speedy justice at his doorstep.”

He said the helpline centre is fully operational and providing relief in the form of free legal advice and assistance to victims of human rights violations across the country. The director informed that caller numbers are saved in their database and people who contact them after their official timing are called back the next day to ensure their optimum help. The official said the helpline is not only providing free of cost legal advice on human rights related issues to masses but also refer the matter to the concerned quarters and continue follow up until the grievance is redressed. He said the ministry is endeavoring to ensure rights of every person without any discrimination and facilitate people at their doorstep and for the purpose they need cooperation of people, adding that any case of human rights violations can also be reported through email at `helpline@molaw.gov.pk’ or sending a letter to director help line.

For making the help line service more affective, the ministry is also disseminating its information through conducting seminars, distributing pamphlets and installing banners a major place so that maximum people got the information of the facility provided by the government and report any HR violation case, he said.