After Senate, NA also passes Zainab Alert, Response, Recovery Bill

ISLAMABAD: The National Assembly (NA) on Wednesday passed the Zainab Alert, Response and Recovery Bill, 2020 which is aimed at sounding the alert and taking timely action for the recovery of missing and abducted children.

The already passed bill by the Senate has been named after Zainab, a six-year-old girl, who was kidnapped from her home in Kasur, raped and killed. The bill once signed by the President Arif Alvi will become an Act of the Parliament.

Maulana Abdul Akbar Chitrali, representing Jamaat-e-Islami (JI) in the House was the only member who opposed the bill for the reason that it did not include provisions of death sentence and Qisas for rape and murder of the child.

He raised voice of ‘No’ when Speaker Asad Qaisar put the bill for approval of the House.

The JI member pointed out that the MNAs received copies of order of the day at 10pm on Tuesday leaving no time for them to propose any amendment. The parliamentarians had also opposed the legislation for the same reason. “Instead of acting as deterrence, the bill in its present form, will encourage the culprits,” he said.

Minister of State for Parliamentary Affairs Ali Muhammad Khan, however, assured the JI member that the government would consider his party’s amendments to the bill. He said that Prime Minister Imran Khan was also in support of death penalty for child abusers and their killers.

Minister for Human Rights Dr Shireen Mazari said the JI should have proposed amendments when the bill was pending in the Senate standing committee and was being discussed in two Houses of Parliament.

The PML-N parliamentary leader Khawaja Muhammad Asif pointed out that he or his party agreed with objects and reasons of the bill but all the Acts passed by the Parliament should be implemented in letter and spirit.

He said that most of the bills relating to human rights are NGOs sponsored but no action is taken when it comes to implementation.

Minister for Human Rights Dr Shireen Mazari, who moved the bill, thanked the members from opposition and treasury benches for their support.

According to the bill, investigations pertaining to all cases of kidnapping, rape, and murder of minor children will need to be completed within three months.

The bill also ensures collaboration and cohesion in the workings of the new agencies and institutions established for the protection of children. According to the bill, the maximum sentence for child sexual abusers would be life imprisonment, with a Rsone million fine while the minimum sentence would be 10 years.

The bill has recommended the establishment of Zainab Alert, Response and Recovery Agency (ZARRA), headed by a director general who would be appointed by Prime Minister Imran Khan.

It has also suggested that ZARRA work closely with the 1099 helpline or such other helplines operating under the mandate of the division concerned.

In this regard, the helpline shall forward relevant complaints, which shall be acted upon in partnership between ZARAA and the National Commission on the Rights of the Child (NCRC) established under the National Commission on the Rights of Child Act, 2017.

The bill has proposed taking action against police officials who cause unnecessary delay in investigating such cases, and that those who fail to respond to the alert within two hours may also face action.

ZARRA shall, wherever required, coordinate the efforts of the police stations concerned and other federal and provincial agencies, authorities or departments.

Meanwhile, the debate on country’s agro-economy hit snags on the very first day as Speaker Asad Qaisar had to adjourn proceedings of the House till Friday due to absence of the Minister for Food Security.

The PML-N parliamentarian Murtaza Javed Abbasi pointed out absence of the minister concerned and parliamentary secretary in the House when ex-Speaker Fakhar Imam was taking part in the debate.

Abbasi appreciated the Speaker for taking initiative of debate on agro-economy but observed that the government was least interested in the issue.

He requested the chair to adjourn debate on the issue till the minister concerned comes to the House otherwise he would point out lack of quorum.

Later, the PML-N member Rao Ajmal Khan staged walk out from the House as a protest against lack of interest being shown by the government to agro-economy.