Child mortality: Sindh CS told to file Thar deaths report

Fact-finding team to visit drought-hit area if report unsatisfactory

ISLAMABAD:

Taking suo motu notice of more than 100 infants’ deaths in the drought-hit Tharparkar region of Sindh, the National Commission for Human Rights (NCHR) has directed the provincial chief secretary to submit a report within 10 days.

The human rights body has also decided to send a fact-finding team to Thar. The commission would take up the issue on a priority basis.

The NCHR took notice of the media reports on the drought-stricken region and expressed concern over the rise in children’s death toll due to outbreak of waterborne diseases, malnutrition, famine, and inadequate health facilities and infrastructure.



A four-member bench — comprising NCHR Chairman Justice (retd) Ali Nawaz Chouhan, Chaudhry Muhammad Shafique (Islamabad), Dr Yahya (Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa) and Ishaq Masih Naz (minorities) — decided to send a team to the desert region to compile a report in case they are not satisfied with the government’s version.

“We are closely monitoring the situation,” Shafique told The Express Tribune. “We shall also examine the chief secretary’s reply first and then decide what we should do.”

He said the rights body would also include media persons and civil society members in the fact-finding team, adding that the issue of right to healthy life is very much related to citizens’ fundamental rights.

The NCHR member said the commission would monitor the overall arrangements of the provincial government and their approach to address the crisis.

According to Mirpurkhas Commissioner Shafique Ahmad Mehar, as many as 326 children died in 2014, 398 last year and more than 30 this year until January 20. “Smaller dams are needed to stop water wastage during rain, and prevent drought in Tharparkar.”

Meanwhile, the NCHR has also given the secretary of the Federal Public Service Commission (FPSC) seven days to submit a report on regularisation of daily-wage teachers.

The order was issued during a hearing of the case. Representatives of the teachers’ action committee, the Capital Administration & Development Division and the Federal Directorate of Education were also present on the occasion.

The commission was informed that due to the active role of the NCHR, the government had released the funds, and salaries were being disbursed to the teachers.

Published in The Express Tribune, January 28^th,  2016.