In a bid to end discrimination against marginalized segments of society, Senate Tuesday formed a special committee to look into existing situation, laws and policies pertaining to handicapped, vulnerable children, women, transgender and minorities.
After holding hours-long debate on the current situation which has completely shattered the marginalized segment of society due to lack of patronage by the state, chairman Senate Raza Rabbani said that the debate was meant to give a message: Senate stands by the marginalized segment of society.
"Though the debate is not enough to mitigate the problems faced by them, yet it will help to lessen and identify their problems to a great extent, and will prove to be a wake up call for the government to make sure that it must not abandon these people as they're equal citizens," he added. He said that leader of the house and leader of the opposition in Senate will assist him in formulating policies; making legislation, preparing terms of reference for the committee, besides keeping a close lesion with organisations which are working for this particular segment.
He said that the committee would study the existing laws about the marginalized segment, and also propose legislation where there was necessary, adding that a reform package will also be prepared for this section. "The organisations such as National Commission of Human Rights (NCHR) and National Commission on Status of Women will also be streamlined, besides making it sure that there should not be duplication of these institutions in order to strengthen their work.
He said that the special committee of Senate on marginalized segment of society will present its report in the house for debate after every two months. Taking part in the debate Senator Mushahid Hussain Sayed, who was mover of the motion, said that there was a marked division in the society due to class, race and religion, which he proposed should be addressed on war footing to ensure that we all are equal citizens.
He regretted that transgender community of Khyber Pakhtunkhawa has fallen prey to bigotry, and hate, adding that the Kalash community of Chitral, a tiny minority of about 4000 individuals, has become the most recent victims of mob mentality when a girl was forced to embrace Islam.
He said that about 5-10 percent marginalized segment of society has become victim of neglect, bigotry, discrimination at the hand of the state, for which he suggested the Senate should prepare an action plan with specific agenda with a certain timeframe to the government to address their problems. Tahir Hussain Mashhadi of Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) came down hard on the government when he found only six senators and not a single minister during the debate.
He said that only two percent ruling class had marginalized 98 percent population; the rich has marginalized the poor; the industrialist is using the poor as cheap labour; the criminals have created sex workers, and the list goes on. He continued that all the people from top to bottom were responsible in one way or another as they failed to act on the guidelines set by founder of the nation Quaid-e-Azam, adding humanitarian crisis is the outcaste of the problems, which need to be corrected.
Chairman Senate Raza Rabbani also regretted when Colonel Mashhadi pointed out that there was not a single minister in the house, while the house was debating such an important issue, adding that the government itself did not take any initiative, and it is regrettable that not a single minister is present.
Nasrin Jalil of MQM said that her party was also becoming marginalized, as there was no justice in the country. She said that the gruesome murder of Qandeel Baloch has shaken the whole nation, and the sooner government takes measures for protection of women, the better it would be.
Senator Rubina Irfan of PML-Q said that the special measures should be taken to protect the ethnic religious minorities such as Parsis, Zikris of Balochistan, as they have started fleeing the country. In an obvious reference to military, Senator Nehal Hashmi of PML-N said that it has also become marginalized in the society, as they dictate elected representatives how to run the affairs of the state, adding another marginalized segment is the bureaucracy which also thinks it is some super natural creature.
"Unless we don't ensure that all institutions perform their jobs by remaining within the ambit of law, and that we have to serve the masses without any discrimination, there will be no end to marginalized segments in the society," he added. Some 2000 women have so far been kidnapped from Khyber Pakhtunkhawa, while 45 transgender were killed, which reflect the failure of the people claiming to make new Pakistan, said Senator Hafiz Hamdullah of Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazal (JUI-F) while referring to PTI chairman's term of "New Pakistan'.
He said that if people who want to make new Pakistan were unable to ensure safety of women and eunuchs, than they must not claim of becoming sole champion to turn the destiny of the country. He also recalled that Dr Shazia rape case in Balochistan during General Pervez Musharraf's regime, and it was a glaring example of a marginalized segment of society which killed Nawab Akbar Bugti after he demanded to handover a military captain who was involved in the rape of the female doctor.
Senator Dr Karim Khawaja said that transgender community has long been neglected by the state, for which he stressed the Supreme Court verdict which had declared eunuchs should not be deprived of their legitimate rights - particularly the right of inheritance of all movable and immovable properties and the right to adopt any profession - needs to be implemented.
Referring to an honour killing bill of a former PPP lawmaker that had been passed by Senate, Senator Sassi Palejo accused the government of willfully delaying the important legislation for political point scoring. Senator Samina Abid of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) also endorsed Senator Mushahid Hussain Sayed about threats to minority Kalash community in the mountains of Chitral, and said that Kalash culture is fast losing its identity as the valley bordering Nooristan province of Afghanistan is under immense pressure from Taliban, while inside Chitral the religious hardliners are busy in their forced conversion.
Senator John William of PTI said that mass killing of religious groups by hardliners also needs to be stopped, and there is a need to form special investigation groups to bring the culprits to book. Senator Gianchand of PPP said that the sense of deprivation among minorities may not end unless they are treated as equal citizens which can only be possible if the bar on non-Muslims to become president and prime minister of the country is abolished.
Senator Usman Khan Kakar blamed successive government of not paying any heed to the problems faced by the marginalized segment of society, which according to him, it is the failure of the state as it failed to play its due role. He also proposed to set up special wards for transgender in hospitals across the country. Senators Sehar Kamran, Atique Sheikh, Azam Khan Swati, Dr Jamaldini, and Lieutenant General Abdul Qayum (Retd) also spoke on the issue. An adjournment motion moved by Dr Jehanzeb Jamldini for holding discussion on salient points of agreement between Pakistan and China, was also fixed for debate on Wednesday (today).
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