‘Manhandling’ of leader of minority community: Sindh police officials summoned by Senate panel

ISLAMABAD: The Senate panel on interior Thursday took strict note of the incident of police harassment and manhandling of a minority community local leader by Sindh Police officials in Jacobabad, and directed the concerned officials to appear in the committee in its next meeting.

The Senate Standing Committee on Interior, which met with Senator Mohsin Aziz in the chair, discussed the matter in detail when a member of the committee Senator Saifullah Abro pointed out with his serious reservations over the law and order situation in Sindh province.

He referred to multiple cases of murder in the districts of Jacobabad, Shikarpur, and Larkana. Referring to the specific incident, Senator Abro said that a minority Hindu community leader of Jacobabad was arrested by Sindh Police SSP Shumyle Riaz Malik.

He maintained that the leader of the Hindu community was allegedly taken to police station, tortured and stripped naked by SSP Shumyle Riaz Malik, allegedly for contesting local Hindu community representative elections.

On this, the chairman committee lamented the absence of the accused officer in the meeting. “Why has the accused officer not appeared before the committee? This absence amounts to disrespecting the august forum of the Senate. We will not let that happen,” he remarked.

While referring to various other similar cases committed by the police, the chairman directed the IG police Sindh and other officers from the concerned districts to ensure their presence in next meeting of the committee.

“Failing which, the committee would recommend suspension of the concerned officials from their service until the proper inquiry is done in the cases,” he warned. He said that more discussion would take place on the issue in the next meeting of the committee.

At the outset, the committee unanimously adopted a resolution, condemning barbaric and brutal lynching of a Sri Lankan national in Sialkot on the alleged charges of blasphemy. The committee members also expressed their grief and sorrow over the incident, offered condolences and solidarity with the victim family.

Committee also recognised and appreciated the moral courage and bravery of Malik Adnan who tried to shelter and save the victim from the violent mob endangering his own life.

The committee also considered “the Pakistan Penal Code (Amendment) Bill, 2021”, moved by Senator Saadia Abbasi in the Senate. Officials from the Ministry of Law and Justice informed the committee that there is another “special bill” from the government’s side, which is being currently considered in the National Assembly’s Standing Committee on Interior.

Representative of the Ministry of Interior was of the view that the bill introduced by Senator Saadia Abbasi seeks amendments in general law, while the government’s bill is a “special bill”, which is more holistic in nature and covers almost every amendment proposed in the bill submitted by Senator Abbasi.

On this, the chairman deferred consideration of the bill presented by Senator Abbasi till the “special bill” is approved by the National Assembly and sent to the Senate for approval.

The committee also discussed consideration of “The Provincial Motor Vehicles (Amendment) Bill, 2021”, moved by Senator Mohsin Aziz in the Senate, which was approved after due deliberations. Meeting was attended by senators including, Mola Bux Chandio, Saadia Abbasi, Saifullah Abro, Samina Mumtaz Zehri, Shahadat Awan, Fawzia Arshad, Syed Faisal Ali Sabzwari, besides by senior officials from the ministries concerned.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2021