Missing persons bill goes ‘missing'

Senate panel told ministries asked to take up issue with Senate secretariat

ISLAMABAD:

A Senate panel on Wednesday was informed that the bill on enforced disappearances continued to remain "missing".

During a meeting of the Senate Standing Committee on Human Rights, PML-N Senator Mushahid Hussain inquired about the bill. “It should be revealed that whoever made the bill disappear," he added.

The Criminal Law (Amendment) Bill, 2021 was passed by the National Assembly in November last year.

Former human rights minister Shireen Mazari had revealed in January this year that the bill had gone missing after it was sent to the Senate.

It was passed by the relevant standing committee and the lower house of parliament.

Last month, Shireen had maintained that she was asked to appear at the Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) headquarters over the bill. She had added that after the bill was tabled in the NA, it was referred to the interior committee where “invisible shadows” tried to change the clauses.

She had regretted that the bill “disappeared” on the way to the Senate.

Committee Chairman Senator Walid Iqbal of the PTI also claimed that the bill had disappeared when it reached the Senate secretariat.

PML-N Senator Irfan Siddiqui noted that the missing persons bill had "itself" gone missing.

Briefing the committee members, the human rights secretary said the interior and parliamentary affairs ministries were asked to take up the issue with the secretariat.

 

Police reject allegations

During the meeting, the Islamabad and Punjab police rejected allegations of violence against PTI activists and supporters during their long march to the federal capital on May 25.

IG Islamabad Akbar Nasir Khan said that the police protected public and government property.

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“No one was tortured and no such order was given to the police.”

AIG Operation Punjab Sahibzada Shehzad Sultan told the panel that three cops were martyred and 41  injured during the PTI march.

“This is what happens to us in every long march. Don’t we have human rights?” he lashed out.

He added that guns were seized from some marchers. “[A total of] 43 cases were registered against the marchers.”

The official informed the panel that 214 PTI activists and supporters were out on bail.

Senator Seemi Ezdi claimed that the police had implicated the protesters in murder cases.

The AIG told her that no murder cases were registered. “Only five cases under the Anti-Terrorism Act were filed and the police did what they had to do to maintain law and order.”

The police officials claimed that public property was destroyed and set ablaze by the marchers but the police only took action to keep the law and order situation under control.

Senator Mushahid claimed that the sit-in of 2014 was for terrorism and there was violence against the police.

“The sit-in of 2014 was sponsored and the entire parliament was held hostage,” he added.

Senator Quratulain Marri maintained  that the people who came to the sit-in had weapons.

“Imran Khan himself admitted that the people were armed,” she added.

Senator Irfan Siddiqui maintained that police personnel were killed lying on the highway in 2014. The military secretary had told then prime minister Nawaz Sharif that all roads were closed and he had summoned a helicopter so that he could escape. However, Siddiqui said Nawaz had refused to leave, saying how would prime ministers be appointed this way.