The Senate committee on human rights has called upon the Punjab government to address the law and order situation at the Okara Military Farms before it blows out of proportion. The committee, in its report tabled in the Senate on Tuesday, made it clear that the land in dispute belonged to the provincial government.
It noted that the people had no faith in the process of law and the working of law-enforcement agencies. "There was a total dearth of confidence between the public and the administration."
The 12-member committee elected Senator S.M. Zafar as its chairman constituted a sub-committee that took up issues relating to tenants of the Okara Military Farms. It presented a report to the committee, which was deliberated upon on October 27.
The sub-committee reviewed the process of change from 'batai system' to contract system, human rights violations, which had taken place in Okara and Renala areas.
Senators Dr Khalid Ranjha, Hameedullah Afridi and Farhatullah Babar visited the farms and met representatives from the administration, Anjuman Mazarieen Punjab, tenants and local journalists.
The tenants cited the example of 3000-acre Tamboo Farm (near Baba Fareed Sugar Mills Okara), where the contract system was first introduced and the tenants were forced out and allotting of the farmland to the military personnel.
In its observations and recommendations, the committee noted that there was a complete breakdown of law and order and that the administration had declared most of the villages occupied by tenants of the military farms as 'no go areas'.
The committee found the district police officer and district nazim helpless and the farm management totally ineffective in handling the situation. Everybody was apologetic and tried to shift the blame on other, the committee observed.
It said tenants vehemently opposed the contract system and contended that the farm management was more responsible for the losses than the tenants. It was also pointed that tenants, under the Punjab Tenancy Act-1887, could not be forced to accept the contract system.
The committee found that cases were registered willy-nilly but there was no progress in investigations thereon. The law required production of challans within 14 days, but this key provision was not being fulfilled.
Likewise, the judicial process was equally non-existent. Neither any challan was submitted nor trial commenced in any case.
The process of law was ineffective vis-à-vis the human rights. The people were justified in raising voice against violation of human rights.
The provincial government was conspicuous by its absence in resolution of the stand-off entailing serious law and order situation, the committee said.
It noted that needless to say the revenue record indicated that the provincial government was the owner of the land in dispute. As a top priority, the provincial government should address the situation of law and order before it blows out of proportion.
The committee suggested that to promote an air of harmony all cases should be investigated by an independent police team and the report, thereon, be submitted within a stipulated time period to restore confidence of the people.
The police team should identify individuals responsible for committing excesses. Likewise, cases of those removed from services by way of retaliatory measure for not lending support to the new system be sympathetically reviewed.
For the settlement of dispute, the government, the committee emphasised, should weigh alternate dispute resolution mechanism such as alternate land to tenants or any other viable relief.
The committee has the mandate to review on a continuous basis the overall position of human rights violation, receive representations from affected persons and bodies vis-à-vis human rights violations.
The committee will exercise suo moto jurisdiction and take notice of any category of the violation or non-compliance of human rights. The committee will act as a Senate in miniature and wherever necessary, would call upon the administration and the public functionaries to give evidence on matters pertaining to human rights.
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