Senators press govt to implement Quetta commission report

Senators press govt to implement Quetta commission report

* Committee asks govt to clarify why an outfit that is banned in Pakistan as a militant organisation is being protected from sanctions by UN

ISLAMABAD: The legislative body of the Upper House on Monday expressed concerns over the impunity with which some banned militant organisations continue to operate in the country. They have demanded zero tolerance for banned organizations, and called for implementation in letter and spirit of the Justice Faiz Isa report on the Quetta carnage.

The committee discussed the report of the judicial commission on the Quetta carnage of Aug 8 2016, recently revealed by Justice Qazi Faez Isa. The committee regretted that the government could not take the Justice Qazi Faez Isa report serious, which clearly identified failure on the government's part.

Taking up the issue of protection to some banned outfits, Senator Farhatullah Babar questioned the rationale behind protecting Jaish e Muhammad chief Moualna Masood Azhar from sanctions by the UN. He said that the Chinese government would not have stepped in to protect the Jaish unless the government of Pakistan had so asked. "We need to know why an outfit that is banned in Pakistan as a militant organisation should be protected from sanctions by the UN," he said, demandeding that the government come clean on it. "This dichotomy raised serious questions about what we say and what we do," he said. The committee decided to ask for clarification from the government on the issue.

The Committee expressed surprise over the response of the Interior Ministry to the question as to why the NCTA Board of Governors had not met even once during the past two years. In reply to a question about NCTA board meetings not being held, the interior minister had said that the question be asked from the Prime Minister and not from him.

Senator Aitizaz Ahsan told the committee that the report on the Quetta carnage revealed that action against banned organizations had not been taken. No implementation over this created serious confusion and he said that all parties should adopt a clear policy on this. "Why has action not been taken?" he demanded to know.

Chairperson Nasreen Jalil claimed that not a single ministry bothered to write any correspondence over the Quetta Report while Senator Jamaldini claimed that Qazi Esa made the report after hectic work on it. The chairperson said the interior minister should brief the committee over the Quetta Report. PML-N Senator Nisar Mohammad Khan said the government should not consider the report just a piece of paper and stressed that the government should work for protection of a new generation. Nasreen Jalil claimed that if the government failed to establish SOP how would it compete with terrorists?

The Committee also passed 'The Hindu Marriage Bill 2016' already passed by the National Assembly that bars marriage of Hindu couples below the age of 18. Aitizaz Ahsan said, "There is no contradiction regarding the bill, this is right of minorities to live according to their religion. Sharia law is totally different from Hindu law and Islam gives freedom to non-muslins." Dr Vankwani said, "There was no Hindu marriage law in the country for 66 years - the country's leadership and all the political parties have done a commendable job."

The committee also passed amendment bill regarding `The National Counter Terrorism Authority (NACTA). An official of Ministry of human Rights briefed the committee regarding issues discussed in the last meeting that new jails are required in Karachi. Construction of a hospital was started in the premises of jails in which paramedics staff and doctors would be present all the time.

The Human Rights Committee which met today under the chairpersonship of Senator Nasren Jalil was attended by Senators Dr Jehanzeb Jamaldini, Sitara Ayaz, Aitzaz Ahsan, Mufti Abdul Sattar, Nisar Muhammad and Dr Ashok Kumar. Besides, some Hindu MNAs and Senators including Dr Ramesh Kumar Vankwani, Dr Ashok Kumar, Dr Darshan and Sanjay Perwani attended as special invitees.