Unanimous approval: Senate passes Human Rights Bill 2012

According to the bill, no intelligence agency will be able to detain any citizen illegally.

ISLAMABAD:
The Senate unanimously passed “The National Commission for Human Rights Bill, 2012”, paving way for a National Human Rights Commission, DawnNews reported on Friday.

The bill was passed during a meeting of the upper house chaired by Farooq H Naek.

According to the bill, no intelligence agency will be able to detain any citizen illegally. The bill will also empower the commission to survey any jail or secrets prisons to check for illegal confinements.

It also states that the armed forces and intelligence agencies will be answerable to the commission and parliament.

The bill also restricts foreign funding for NGOs without approval.

The National Assembly had also passed a bill for the establishment of the National Human Rights Commission on December 21, 2011. Prime Minister’s advisor Mustafa Nawaz Khokar, who moved the bill, said that the bill would serve as a driving force to negate the propaganda of the violation of human rights in Pakistan.

Pakistan in pursuance of the United Nations General Assembly resolution was under obligation to establish independent national human rights institutions.


Resolution condemns terrorism

During the course of proceedings, the House also unanimously passed a resolution condemning terrorist attacks on the public rallies in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa. The resolution was moved by ANP Senator Haji Muhammad Adeel.

Friday was the last day of the last session of the present Senate and 50 lawmakers will be replaced by new ones from Monday (March 12). Four new members from minorities will also join the new Senate making the total strengthen of the House to one hundred and four. The present Senate introduced eight legislations and passed forty-nine bills during its different sessions.

'The present Senate took number of decisions to uplift democracy'

Taking part in the farewell speeches, the members said that the present Senate took a number of decisions to uplift democracy in the country. They noted that the decisions taken by the House will go a long way for the development and prosperity of the country and its people.

In his farewell address Naek thanked all the members for their support during his entire tenure in making different decisions and running the business of the house. He said at certain times we have to take tough decisions but we upheld the parliamentary traditions and made decisions for the betterment of the country and the masses.

Those who spoke on the occasion included Professor Khurshid Ahmad, Dr Safdar Abbasi, Ishaq Dar, Tariq Azeem, Abdul Rahim Mandokhel and Zafar Ali Shah. Finally, the House was prorogued before the Friday prayers.

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