Senate body condemns converting Dar’s house into shelter home

ISLAMABAD: Senate Standing Committee on Interior Chairman Senator Rehman Malik told the committee on Monday that in its meeting it strongly condemned the ongoing longest curfew in Kashmir on its 190th day and urged the international community to take notice of gross human rights violations and humanitarian crisis in the Indian Occupied Kashmir.

During the meeting on the matter raised by Senator Javed Abbasi with regard to escape of ex-Taliban spokesman Ehsanullah Eshan, Senate’s Committee chairman on Interior directed the Ministry of Interior to submit a detailed report on the escape of Ehsanullah Ehsan and his audio message. The Senate committee also observed one-minute silence for the Chinese victims of coronavirus and expressed solidarity with the people and government of China. Interior Senate Committee Chairman Senator Rehman Malik said, “We (Pakistanis) express our sorrow over the loss of many lives because of deadly coronavirus and full solidarity with the people of China.” He said that in these difficult moments they stand by the brave people of China and hope they will combat the deadly coronavirus soon. He said that he had taken notice of the Pakistani students stranded in China after the breakout of coronavirus in different provinces of China and has asked the Ministry of Interior to take all the measures for their safe return.He said that many Pakistani students stranded in China have contacted him and has received many messages on social media from them demanding their safe return at the earliest.

He said that the spread of coronavirus in China has created chaos and scare throughout the world and Pakistani citizens are equally at risk. He expressed his serious concern as other countries have already evacuated their citizens and students from China, but Pakistani students have not yet been rescued. He said that he talked with the Chinese Ambassador in Pakistan who assured his full support to the stranded Pakistani students.He said that the Chinese ambassador told him that they have successfully discovered the vaccine of the coronavirus and will eliminate it fully soon. He directed the Ministry of Interior to establish isolation centers at each Pakistani airport and thoroughly check all the international passengers for coronavirus. The committee observed that passengers arriving from China are not being checked properly for coronavirus at airports as there are no such arrangements. Senator Malik directed that the travel history of all passengers arriving Pakistan through international flights should be checked for the origin of their journey as many from China are arriving in Pakistan through transit flights. He asked the Ministry of Interior that all the airlines should be asked to provide a list of the passengers, their origin of flights with details and all should be screened for coronavirus at their arrival at airports throughout the country. He said that all measures should be taken to stop the spread of coronavirus in Pakistan, the committee directed that all Chinese working on CPEC should be checked and medical clearance certificate should be issued to them.

In the meeting Senator Muhammad Javed Abbasi raised the issue of converting the house of former finance minister Ishaq Dar in Lahore into a Panahgah (shelter home). The committee strongly condemned converting Senator Dar’s house into Panahgah and termed it an act of political victimisation. The committee chairman said that there is a thin line between accountability and victimisation and such an act of victimisation should be discouraged and condemned by all. He said that it seems some Einstein in Punjab government is conspiring against Prime Minister Imran Khan as the said move is against the orders of the court. He directed the Ministry of Interior to look into the matter and submit a detailed report to the committee within three days.

The Senate Standing Committee on Interior unanimously passed, “The National Counter Terrorism Authority (Amendment) Bill, 2019 (Ordinance No VII)” after thorough deliberations. In the said Act, in Section 5, the committee proposed that one member from the opposition and one member from the treasury benches from the Senate of Pakistan and the National Assembly should be nominated by the Senate chairman and NA speaker respectively for the Board of Governors of NACTA. The Bill was proposed by Senator Azam Khan Swati, Minister for Parliamentary Affairs.

The committee deferred “The Islamabad Prevention of Beggary Bill, 2019,” by Senator Mian Muhammad Ateeq Shaikh, “The Rights of Persons Arrested, Detained or Under Custodial Investigation Bill, 2019,” by Senator Farooq Hamid Naek and the matter regarding “A large number of foreigners living in Sindh have illegally been issued CNICs by Nadra” raised by Senator Sassui Palijo due to non-presence of the respective movers.

The matter regarding grabbing money through anonymous and fraudulent calls on the pretext of Jazz Cash and other illegal online transfer of money was also discussed. The Chairman Committee directed the FIA to take stringent action against those involved in these illegal activities across the country as the victims are mostly poor people. He directed the PTA to apprise the committee as under what law the cellular companies are dealing with monetary matters and under what law they are issued licenses. He also directed that in this regard guidelines from State Bank of Pakistan should be sought to regulate all these activities and to stop misuse of these services. He said in this regard he talked to the Governor, State Bank of Pakistan, who assured full assistance to the concerned authorities in regulating the online transfer of money. Malik expressed his displeasure over the absence of the representative of Jazz and directed the PTA to issue show-cause notice to the said company. He directed that representatives from all cellular companies operating in Pakistan and dealing with financial transactions should appear in the next meeting of the committee.

At the outset, Senator Rehman Malik strongly condemned the ongoing Indian forces brutalities against oppressed Kashmiris and the 190 day-longest curfew in the Indian Occupied Kashmir (IOK). He said that the committee will continue to condemn the brutal curfew by Indian forces in occupied Kashmir and will express solidarity with people of Kashmir who are struggling for their legitimate right of self-determination under UNSC resolutions.

It also condemned the ongoing ceasefire violation by Indian forces across Line of Control and targeting the civilian population. Senator Rehman Malik said that to divert world’s attention from Indian forces brutalities in Kashmir and from the countrywide protests against discriminatory citizenship law, PM Modi is creating chaos on LoC. He said, “The Indian forces along the Line of Control (LoC) and working boundary are continuously targeting civilian populations with artillery fire and automatic weapons, which is highly condemnable and sheer violation of international human rights and the UN laws.” He urged the government to take the case of continuous unprovoked ceasefire violation and targeting civilian population by India to the United Nations General Assembly and International Court of Justice (ICJ).

He advised the government to request the United Nations Secretary-General, during his upcoming visit to Pakistan, to appoint a special commission to investigate all ceasefire violations by India and increase the strength of Military Observers across LoC.

Meanwhile, Pakistan Muslim League Nawaz (PML N) President and Leader of the Opposition in National Assembly Shahbaz Sharif strongly condemned the provincial government's action to turn former finance minister Muhammad Ishaq Dar's Lahore residence into a shelter home. In a statement, the opposition leader in National Assembly has expressed disappointment over seizing the houses of political opponents and called it a wrong tradition. "People are lacking basic facilities including food and employment but the government is busy taking political revenge from the opposition instead of resolving the national issues," he added.

Shahbaz Sharif condemned the move to turn Dar's house into a shelter and food bank saying Ishaq Dar has served the nation and these backhanded tactics cannot detract from his services. Shahbaz said the common man was worried about bread, employment and business while the corrupt inefficient and revengeful government was busy avenging political opponents. He further said taking over the homes of political opponents was a negative tradition and this move would not dampen PML-N's spirits.