Press release

I. A. Rehman Research Grant for 2022 awarded to lawyer Usama Khawar Ghumman

Lahore, 4 October 2022. The Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP) is pleased to announce that Usama Khawar Ghumman has been awarded the I. A. Rehman Research Grant for 2022. Mr Ghumman—a lawyer by profession—will study the occupational health and safety of labourers in stone-crushing factories in Punjab, particularly their vulnerability to silicosis (a long-term lung disease). His findings will be published and disseminated by HRCP.

Instituted in honour of the veteran journalist and former secretary-general of HRCP, the late I. A. Rehman, this grant is intended to facilitate original research carried out in different areas of human rights in Pakistan. This year’s theme was labour rights—an area especially close to Mr Rehman’s heart. Mr Ghumman was selected by an independent committee of senior academics and human rights defenders, including veteran activist Nasreen Azhar, labour rights researcher Zeenia Shaukat, and labour economist Dr Aliya Khan.

The committee commended the range and depth of applications received, and said it had been hard-pressed to select Mr Ghumman from among such highly qualified candidates.

Hina Jilani
Chairperson