Not approved: Rights bill goes to Senate panel for fine-tuning

Senators argue that there was still room for improvement in the bill.

ISLAMABAD:

The National Commission for Human Rights Bill, 2011 was dealt a blow in the Upper House during Wednesday’s proceedings, after being referred to the standing committees of law & Justice and human rights for further debate.

The bill, seeking the provision for the establishment of a National Commission for Human Rights, was passed in the National Assembly on December 21, 2011.

Wednesday’s Senate proceedings saw a majority of lawmakers of the view that the bill needed further discussion as the definition of human rights needed to be broadened.

Senators demanded the deputy chairman to refer the Bill to the relevant standing committee.

Highlighting the importance of the Bill to curb violations of human rights, Pakistan Muslim League-Quaid Senator SM Zafar and Jamat-e-Islami Senator Professor Khursheed Ahmed proposed amendments so as to cover all aspects regarding human rights.

“It is important to stop intelligence agencies from violating human rights and victimising innocent people without solid evidence,” JI Senator Professor Ibrahim said.

National Party (NP) Senator Hasil Bezenjo said the present situation of Balochistan, where bodies are found on streets every day, is a glaring example of human rights violation.

Senator Abdur Rahim Mandokhel, from Pakhtoonkhwa Milli Awami Party (PKMAP), was the only senator who was in favour of passing of the bill on Wednesday, without any further delay. He said violations of the human rights could be stopped if the government set up an independent commission.

However, Leader of the House Nayyer Bokhari said that the bill can be improved if the standing committees examined it in detail, before approving it in Senate.

Advisor to the Prime Minister on Human Rights Mustafa Nawaz Khokhar had earlier moved the Bill for the establishment of a National Human Rights Commission in the Senate for approval.

He welcomed the decision of the Senate to refer the Bill to the committees before approval.

Meanwhile, PML-Q lawmaker SM Zafar, on a point of order, explained that he had opposed the resolution approving trial and arrest of former president Pervez Musharraf, but he could not be heard by the chair.  “Although the majority voted in favour of the resolution, it was not unanimously passed and the record needs to be corrected,” he said.

Senator Veena?

Low attendance of Senators and absence of ministers during the question hour caused some bizarre comments to be passed around on the floor of the house.

Senator Mushahidullah Khan from the PML-N and Deputy Chairman Senate Jan Muhammad Jamali bounced off ‘light-hearted’ ideas for assuring full attendance.

Experienced politician Mushahidullah shocked all by suggesting that actress Veena Malik’s presence in Senate would guarantee the attendance of all ministers and members.

“Should the Senate be dissolved or they (absentees) be treated with the tablets being provided by the PIC to the patients,” Jan Jamali asked.

Later, on a more serious note, MQM’s Senator Haseeb Khan and Mushahidullah said neither the prime minister nor the federal ministers have any interest in Senate sessions and don’t take them seriously.

Published in The Express Tribune, January 26^th, 2012.