city of Karachi, the Ansar Burney Trust International (as it is now known) was the first Pakistani organization to fight for the concept of human rights in Pakistan. With a mission to work as a non-political, non-governmental, and non-profitable organization, it started its fight against all forms of injustices, cruel inhuman and degrading treatment, child abuse, cruelty to women, and other more subtle forms of human and civil rights violations without any discrimination or affiliation. The Trust is a network of human rights organisations and volunteers working to deliver justice, better treatment of human beings, and for the rights and freedoms of civil liberty. It works to raise awareness, provide free legal advice. and services and humanitarian assistance where needed. It has been involved in bringing reforms to police stations, prisons, and mental institutions, and worked for the aid, advice, release, rehabilitation, and welfare of illegally and unlawfully detained prisoners and mental patients. It also works for the rehabilitation and welfare of the families of these victims on humanitarian grounds in the greater interest of justice and humanity without any affiliation or consideration for any political party, group or activity. The Trust has made steady progress in achieving its objectives and has started a number of centers for various projects in Pakistan and abroad. It also publishes newsletters and human rights reports to spread awareness of issues and to encourage more people to become involved. Federal Minister for Human Rights (Pakistan) On 16 November 2007, Ansar Burney was sworn in as Pakistan's caretaker federal minister for the newly established Human Rights ministry. He was in charge of establishing the ministry, creating a national commission on human rights, and overseeing the general elections in Pakistan. During his term as a federal minister, Burney visited 25 prisons and mental asylums throughout Pakistan, resulting in the release of several hundred innocent persons including children as young as seven. He also pushed for further reforms to prisons, government controlled orphanages, and shelter homes for women. Expert advisor to the United Nations Human Rights Council On 27 March 2008, Ansar Burney was elected unopposed for a term of three years as a member of the United Nations Human Rights Council Advisory Committee and due to "his recognized experience in the field of human rights and acknowledged competence and impartiality, Burney received wide support from all regional groups of the Council." Humanitarian activities Prison reforms and