The Senate Standing Committee on Interior and Narcotics Control Wednesday expressed serious concern over hoisting of a flag of a global terrorist network Daesh, also known as ISIS, on Islamabad Expressway and sought report from Ministry of Interior in this regard.
The meeting which met with Senator Abdul Rehman Malik in the chair termed hoisting of Daesh flag in the federal capital a serious threat that shows the presence of most dangerous terrorist organization in Islamabad and sought report from Ministry of Interior on the issue in its next meeting.
Senator Mukhtiar Ahmed Dhamrah said that the flag had been hoisted by unknown people, while former Interior Minister Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan had several times rejected the presence of Daesh in the country.
State Minister for Interior Talal Chaudhry assured the meeting that he will brief the committee about presence of Daesh in the country and hoisting of its flag in Islamabad in the next meeting. The city police had registered an FIR soon after the flag was seen on the city road, he said, adding that a special team has been constituted to investigate the matter.
Senator Muhammad Javed Abbasi said that a report has been aired by TV channels regarding Intelligence Bureau (IB) reports that some parliamentarians, including MNAs and senators, have contacts with banned outfits and support them. Chaudhry said that IB has rejected these reports.
The committee also prayed for Lieutenant Arsalan Alam who was martyred in a cross-border attack on Saturday last in Khyber Agency. Malik paid rich tribute to the martyrs of armed forces and law enforcement agencies (LEAs). "The blood of martyrs will never go waste as defeat is the fate of our enemies," he said. He extended heartfelt condolences to the bereaved family of martyred Lieutenant Arsalan Alam.
The committee passed 'The Criminal Laws (Amendment) Bill, 2017' moved by Senator Karim Ahmed Khawaja, seeking to omit section 325 of the Pakistan Penal Code, 1860, the entries relating to section 325 in Code of Criminal Procedure, 1898 and provide rehabilitation facilities to those who attempt suicide. "Attempt to commit suicide is the last stage of frustration. It is the duty of the welfare state to provide relief to its citizens, instead of criminalizing the one who is already suffering," Khawaja said.
Malik said that attempted suicide is a disease rather than an offence. He said that many countries across the world and also the United Nations have termed suicide as a disease.
This claim was endorsed by psychiatrists present in the committee who mentioned that attempted suicide is different from consummated suicide in behaviour. No alternative to this claim was found in the Shariah Law.
The committee also discussed in detail 'The Islamabad Capital Territory Shops Business and Industrial Establishment (Security) (Amendment Bill, 2017)' moved by Senator Muhammad Azam Khan Swati. This amendment will ensure the proper surveillance of all public places and will help in tracing out the terrorists, their facilitators and the suspected persons. Swati said that Pakistan has been facing the menace of terrorism for the last many years which has claimed thousands of innocent lives. Most of the terrorist acts have targeted public places including markets, restaurants, hotels, mosques and educational institutions. "Unfortunately, we have no proper surveillance mechanism through which the terrorists and their facilitators can be traced out," he said.
While supporting the bill, the state minister for interior said that other countries have also constituted regulations along with the installation of CCTV cameras. "We have also proposed some amendment in the bill," he added.
Malik said that installation of CCTV cameras for security and maintaining record of vicinity is important. He stressed that installation of CCTV cameras is the need of the hour and every viable business should install CCTV cameras for the sheer purpose of security and safety of the surrounding areas. The bill was not applicable to small entrepreneurs; it should have been non-cognizable instead of cognizable and the fine should be readjusted. The committee approved the bill.
The Islamabad Restriction on Employment of Children Bill, 2017 and The Child Marriage Restrain (Amendment) Bill, 2017 moved by Senator Sehar Kamran were referred to other committee for consideration and the Council of Islamic Ideology for further deliberation. The chairman said that no law can be passed against the spirits of Islam; therefore, consultation with Council of Islamic Ideology is mandatory.
Senator Rubina Khalid, the mover of 'The Criminal Laws (Amendment) (Protection of Rights of Transgender Persons) Bill, 2017' was welcomed by the committee and supported by Senator Muhammad Javed Abbasi.
The committee also discussed 'The Criminal Laws Amendment (Protection of rights of Transgender Persons) bill, 2017' moved by Senator Rubina Khalid, seeking to provide protection to the transgender persons against violation of their fundamental rights.
Malik said that equal rights should be given to the transgender community and their victimization should be stopped at every level. The committee decided to constitute a sub-committee on the issue so that a compact law in this regard could be formulated.
The committee strongly condemned the persecution of Rohingya Muslims by Myanmar army in Rakhine State and termed its brutality as the worst form of human rights violation. Malik tabled a resolution strongly condemning genocide of Rohingya Muslims, which was unanimously passed and appreciated by the members of the committee. According to the resolution, "The committee strongly condemns the brutal killing of Muslims of Rohingya in Myanmar. The committee demands the government of Pakistan to take up the matter with the UNO through Human Rights Commission of Pakistan to immediately stop the ongoing killing of innocent Muslims of Rohingya, and to constitute a high-powered commission to investigate the real causes behind this genocide/worst kind of human rights violations."
Senators Muhammad Ali Khan Saif, Muhammad Saleh Shah, Shahi Syed, Muhammad Javed Abbasi and Seher Kamran attended the meeting.
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