Rights violation cases are mounting, admits govt

12,884 cases of human rights violation were recorded last year.

ISLAMABAD:

The federal government has admitted that the human rights violation cases have been mounting in the country. In a written reply submitted to the National Assembly on Wednesday, the law, justice and human rights ministry, headed by Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, revealed that more than 12,884 cases of human rights’ violation were registered last year.

Sindh witnessed a record number of 4,737 cases registered in the province in 2011-12 according to the document. For the same period, Punjab witnessed around 3,385 violations while 2,365 and 2,124 cases were registered in Balochistan and Khyber-Pakhtunkhawa, respectively. The reply added that 270 cases were registered in the federal capital alone.

The cases included rapes, acid attacks, police torture, harassment, domestic violence and blasphemy-related issues.

The ministry disclosed the figures in response to a question posed by Awami Muslim League chief Sheikh Rashid Ahmed who had sought details of human rights violations cases registered last year.

Supply gap of natural gas

Petroleum and Natural Resources Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi informed the House that the country was facing a huge demand and supply gap of natural gas which is being bridged through curtailment in different sectors.

“Gas curtailment can only be eliminated when more gas is available,” he said.

To a question by parliamentarian Sheikh Rohail Asghar, the minister informed the legislators that a government team recently visited in connection with the import of liquefied natural gas (LNG). He added that the government is pursuing numerous LNG projects.

Policy on ex-military men

The defence ministry informed lawmakers that authorisation of medical facility to the armed forces personnel on re-employment as civilians in any defence organization was vague. However, the ministry stated that pensioners of the armed force are not authorised to take medical allowance as they have the facility of free indoor/outdoor medical treatment at military hospitals.

Published in The Express Tribune, August 29^th, 2013.