Rehman Malik chairs Senate Standing Committee on Interior meeting
Islamabad: The meeting of Senate Standing Committee on Interior was held under the Chairmanship of Senator Rehman Malik here at the Parliament House Thursday.
The meeting offered prayers for the departed soul of Senator Azam Khan Musakhel and 14 Kashmiris who were killed in Pulwama district of Occupied Kashmir.
The meeting was attended by Senators Muhammad Javed Abbasi, Rana Maqbool Ahmad, Haji Momin Afridi, Usman Khan Kakar, Mohsin Aziz, Quratul Ain Marri, Special Secretary Interior, Commissioner Rawalpindi, Commissioner Islamabad and senior officials.
Senate Standing Committee on Interior Approved ‘The Day Care Centers Bill, 2018’ Senate Standing Committee on Interior considered, discussed and approved ‘The Day Care Centers Bill, 2018’ moved by Senator Quratul Ain Marri with some amendments in the penalties, punishment and amount of fine. Chairman Senate Standing Committee on Interior Senator Malik highly appreciated Senator Quratul Ain Marri for the Bill.
He said that the number of working women have increased over the years which is very good sign for the country and women empowerment. He said that a law should be introduced for the day care centers for whole country.
Senate Standing Committee on Interior deferred the Real Estate (Regulation and Development Bill- 2017 The Committee considered “The Real Estate (Regulation and Development Bill- 2017)” introduced by Senator Mohsin Aziz and formed a consultation group under Senator Javed Abbasi and comprising of Senator Mohsin Aziz, law expert Mohsin Kamal, Member Estate CDA, representative from Interior and Law Division to sit together and work upon the changes required in ‘The Real Estate (Regulation and Development) Bill, 2017’.
Senate Standing Committee on Interior offered Fateh (prayer) and paid tribute to Senator Azam Kahn Musakhel- Paying rich tribute to Senator Azam Khan Musakhel who passed away few days ago, Chairman Senate Standing Committee on Interior Senator Malik moved a resolution which was unanimously passed by the committee.
He said that the Committee expresses its condolences, deep grief and sorrow over the sad and sudden demise of Senator Azam Khan Musakhel. The resolution, Chairman Senate Standing Committee on Interior moved stated that the Committee pays a rich tribute to Sardar Azam Khan Musakhel, who was a strong voice for the rights of Balochistan and was a strong believer in provincial autonomy and democracy.
Discussion on the number of persons arrested on charges of involvement in terrorist activities -The Committee held a detailed and thorough discussion on the number of persons arrested on charges of involvement in terrorist activities in the country during last five years which was asked by Senator Usman Kakar in the Senate House.
The Committee was told that during the last five years 16022 people were arrested from across the country, 2525 were convicted and awarded punishments and 376 were awarded death penalty for involvement in terrorist activities. It was told that from Punjab 1993, Sindh 2728, Balochistan 147, KPK 1967, GB 126 and from Islamabad 61 people have been arrested on the charges of terrorism during last five years. Senator A. Rehman Malik questioned the Ministry of Interior whether it is sure or not about the figures mentioned in the report.
He directed the ministry of interior to confirm the figures and apprise the committee with fresh figures and also tell the committee about the person have been so far arrested and convicted belonging to tribal districts of Khyber Pakhtunkhaw.
Chairman questioned the ministry of interior how many political workers being arrested with terrorism charges, how many have been convicted and how many was interrogated? He said that many were complaining that even political workers are being arrested for terrorism charges.
Malik took a very serious notice of the kidnapping Haji Abduallah and his brothers for ransom from Peshawar had been raised by Senator Usman kakar in the House.
Committee was deeply aggrieved and shocked to hear the victim Haji Abdullah who appeared before the committee. He told the committee that a gang of Afghan nations residing in Peshawar kidnapped him and his brothers for ransom not for once but many times and they tortured them and cut their fingers during confinement.
He told the committee that he had paid a heavy amount as ransom to the kidnappers and now he is receiving threat calls from them for lodging FIR against them. He told the committee that leaders of the gang namely Afzal, Sami and Bangol successfully got Bails from Peshawar high court.
The Committee appreciated the work by Khyber Pakhtunkhaw police in identifying the culprits and gangs. Chairman Committee asked the Chief Secretary Khyber Pakhtunkhwa to send the matter to a military court and provide security to the victims and their family till the court proceedings is underway.
Chairman asked the Federal Investigation Agency to intervene into the matter and conduct a thorough investigation into it those culprits cannot escape from the law. He assured the victims that they will get the justice and the committee will pursue the matter to its logical conclusion.
Senator Malik has also sought report from all provincial home secretaries about properties purchased by Afghani nationals in different cities of their respective provinces.
While discussing the abduction of 13 year old girl Haroon Bibi from Sargodha the Committee gave four week time to the Punjab Police to complete its investigation. Chairman Committee asked to coordinate with concerned in Balochistan for identification of the girl in the container which was reportedly found with abducted kids being trafficked.
Unlawful detention of employees of various restaurants in Rawalpindi- The Committee had sought report from RPO Rawalpindi and Commissioner Rawalpindi on the issue of unlawful detention of employees of various restaurants in Rawalpindi.
The Commissioner and RPO Rawalpindi briefed the committee and told that to maintain law and avoid unrest in the twin cities in wake up of sit-in call by the Tehrik-e-Labbaik Pakistan; the Rawalpindi administration had arrested 800 people on basis of their affiliation with the TLP.
The matter was raised by Senator Javed Abbasi who said that local administration had kept the employees in illegal confinement. Senator A. Rehman Malik asked that how prisoners can be transferred from one district to another district without permission of higher authorities. However, the Committee Chairman tasked Senator Rana Maqbool Ahmed to come up with detailed investigation on the issue.
Committee condemned state sponsored terrorist act’ by Indian Security Forces- Chairman Senate Standing Committee on Interior Senator Malik strongly condemned the ‘state sponsored terrorist act’ by Indian Security Forces in Pulwama district of Occupied Kashmir wherein 14 innocent Kashmiris were martyred and 200 others were injured.
He moved the resolution which was unanimously passed by the committee. He reads the resolution as “The Senate Standing Committee on Interior strongly condemns ‘state sponsored terrorist act’ by Indian Security Forces in Pulwama district of India Occupied Kashmir (IOK) wherein 14 innocent Kashmiris were martyred and 200 others were injured. The Committee expresses its heartfelt condolences and sympathies with victim families.
The Senate Standing Committee on Interior expresses complete solidarity with brave Kashmiri people who have been struggling for their legitimate right to self-determination for the last seven decades.
The Senate Standing Committee on Interior demands the Secretary General UNO to implement its own Resolutions of Self-determination i.e. Resolutions, No.47 (1948), 98(1952) and 122(1957) in the United Nations Security Council. The Senate Standing Committee on Interior urges the Government of Pakistan to demand the Secretary General UNO and President UNHRC to appoint a high level Commission to investigate the ongoing unprecedented human rights violations in Indian Occupied Kashmir.”
At the end of the meeting, Senator Malik said that all of us are concerned by the statement of Minister for Interior that 75 percent female students and 45 male students take crystal meth in the capital.
He said that figures are highly disturbing and the government has to take serious action. He has asked the Ministry of Interior to apprise the committee on the subject in the next meeting as the news has spread uncertainty among the parents of students.
He has asked the ministry to brief the committee about the action it has taken after knowing such drastic figures of drug addicts in educational institutions. He said that earlier he had taken notice of drug supply in educational institutions in Islamabad and had ordered crackdown against the drug mafia resultantly boundary wall was constructed around Qaid-e-Azam University and action against drug mafia there were taken. He has asked the government that it is a time to take fierce actions against drug dealers across the country.
