Lahore, May 28: Karim Lahidji, an Iranian lawyer and founder president of the Iranian League for the Defence of Human Rights, was yesterday elected president of the International Federation for Human Rights (FIDH) at the organisation’s 38^th congress in Istanbul, says a Press release issued by the Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP), a member of FIDH. He succeeds Souhayr Belhassen who headed the federation for six years. The organisation’s vice-presidents elected on the occasion include Zohra Yusuf, chairperson of HRCP. With the admission of 14 new members the number of national human rights organisations that have come together in FIDH has risen to 178.

I. A. Rehman

Secretary-General