ISLAMABAD: The Senate Committee on Interior on Tuesday gave approval of strong legislation, suggesting stringent punishment to child abuse and rape cases.
While The Criminal Laws (Amendment) Bill, 2020 (Section 297A, Act XLV of 1860) introduced by Senator Muhammad Javed Abbasi was discussed in detail and it was suggested in the bill that whoever commits rape, molestation of any kind to any human corpse shall be punished with imprisonment of life not less than 14 years and a fine which may extend to one million but not less than one hundred thousand rupees. The meeting of the Senate Committee on Interior was held with the chair of its Chairman Senator Abdul Rehman Malik and was attended by Leader of the House Senator Dr Shahzad Waseem, senators Nusrat Shaheen, Muhammad Javed Abbasi, Mirza Muhammad Afridi, Muhammad Ali Saif, Sardar Muhammad Shafiq Tareen, and senior officers from the Ministry of Interior, Law Division, FIA, Police and Motorway Police along with all concerned.
The committee considered multiple bills referred by the house and while taking up the Criminal Laws (Amendment) Bill, 2020 Rehman Malik was of the view that strong legislation suggesting stringent punishment must be formulated to deal with the ever growing cases of child abuse across the country.
The Bill, after through consideration and discussion, was passed with majority vote, however, Senator Dr Shahzad Waseem opposed it and showed reservations over it. After passing of the Bill, Rehman Malik asserted that this Bill has been passed according to the Rules of the Committee and he also directed that the Ordinance, which has already been notified by the government, should also be clubbed with the Bill during the stage of its consideration.
He said that stringent measures such as recommended in the Bill is the need of the hour to be taken against those who commit such heinous crimes. He said that there is a dire need to make a law which could deter the offenders and the people of like mind from committing the offense.
He directed that all graveyards across the country shall provide by boundary walls and monitoring system/CCTV cameras so that dignity and respect of human corpse could be ensured. He said that corpses have dignity in all cultures hence to preserve the right of dignity of the human corpse, the said amendment in needed. The Fatal Accidents (Amendment) Bill, 2020” introduced by Senator Muhammad Javed Abbasi was also considered and passed.
Rehman Malik said that these amendments seek to ensure speedy justice and enable legal heirs of the victims to compensation in case of death in fatal accidents in the Islamabad Capital Territory.
The Pakistan Arms (Amendment) Bill, 2021” introduced by Senator Mirza Muhammad Afridi and Senator Kauda Babar, The Islamabad Capital Territory Trust (Amendment) Bill, 2020 and The Anti-Terrorism (Amendment) Bill, 2020” introduced by Senator Mushtaq Ahmed were deferred due to the absence of the movers.
Taking up the public petition, regarding matter of Main Jamia Mosque Thanvi, Jacob Line Karachi referred by Senate chairman, Rehman Malik took grave notice of the matter and assured the petitioner, former senator Maulana Tanvirul Haq Thanvi, of the committee’s complete support. He directed that it will be ensured that no harm befalls the mosque.
Rehman Malik referred the matter to director FIA, Sindh and directed to report within 15 days and also directed Sindh Police to assist the complainant and address his grievances on merit.
Regarding Pakistan’s Vaccination Campaign, Rehman Malik thanked the Chinese government for donating 500,000 doses of the coronavirus vaccine to Pakistan and urged the government of Pakistan to take measures to ensure that vaccines are made available to the whole population for free. He said that mere 500, 000 doses of the coronavirus vaccine is not an answer to the deadly pandemic. He urged the federal government to establish vaccine centers in every province and all provinces shall be provided with vaccines. He said that coordination between federal and provinces should be increased to combat COVID-19 effectively.
He expressed that if India can make its own anti-COVID vaccine, why can’t Pakistan?
Leader of the House Shahzad Waseem assured the committee that the government had formulated a plan to ensure that every citizen of Pakistan, regardless social stature, has access to the vaccine. Senator Sardar Shafiq Tareen raised the issue of three brothers namely Muhammad Nabi, Shah Wali and Muhammad Dawood who had been kidnapped from Chaman in October, 2020 but no action had been taken yet.
The chairman committee gave directions to IG Police and Chief Secretary, Balochistan to look into the matter and report to the committee within 15 days.
In addition to this, Senator Sardar Shafiq Tareen raised the issue of Dr Zahra in Karachi who invested Rs2.4 million in a company called NBP Funds. He said that when she enquired about her investment the company said that the money has been lost in stock exchange, adding when she raised a complaint with the FIA that has not been addressed to-date. Chairman committee directed FIA to look into the issue and report back to the committee in 15 days.
At the conclusion of the meeting, Rehman Malik directed the FIA to present a detailed briefing on the oil marketing companies involved in the artificial shortage of oil in June, 2020.
He also directed the CDA to present a comprehensive briefing in the next meeting on the status of the implementation of the recommendations made by the committee since 2018.
Rehman Malik, while welcoming the members and the other participants of the meeting, strongly condemned the Indian atrocities in Illegally Indian Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIJOK).
He said that the siege in Kashmir has entered its 547th day and stressed that the government must raise this issue very strongly at all international forums including United Nations.
He said that since day first this committee has been marking these days as ‘Dark Days’ in the history of mankind and expressing solidarity with Kashmiri brothers and sisters who are struggling for their legitimate right of self-determination under UNSC resolutions. ”The government must present the Disinfolab EU Report to FATF in the session, scheduled to take place virtually from Feb 22 to 25 as the report is composed of Indian malicious and fake propaganda against Pakistan,” he said.