Marked decline in capital’s crime rate, Senate told

Passes Premarital Blood Screening (Family Laws Amendment) Bill

ISLAMABAD: The government on Monday claimed that the crime rate in the capital has dropped significantly in the last three years due to improved policing.

Responding to a motion moved by Senator Chaudhry Tanvir Khan on the need for police reforms in the Senate, Minister of State for Interior Balighur Rehman said the crime rate had dropped due to police reforms including merit-based recruitment and establishment of an internal vigilance cell.

Earlier, lawmakers from both the treasury and the opposition benches called for effective police reforms including provision of adequate salary, fringe benefits and other basic facilities to the Islamabad Police personnel.



Senator Tanvir pointed out that the salary of a police constable in Islamabad was Rs30,000 and his allowances ranged from Rs3,000 to Rs4,000. “Such dire circumstances force the poor constables into bribery and corruption,” he added.

The house also passed a bill – Premarital Blood Screening (Family Laws Amendment) Bill, 2016 – to curb inherited blood disorders and birth defects. The bill was moved by Senator Chaudhry Tanvir Khan. Minister for Law Zahid Hamid told the house that while the government did not oppose the bill, it underlined the problems related to it.

Senate Chairman Raza Rabbani referred the bill to the standing committee concerned.

The house also passed Constitution (Amendment) Bill, 2016 which seeks to make regional languages into national language. The bill was moved by Senator Karim Khawaja.

Published in The Express Tribune, July 26^th, 2016.