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Event Title: The Senate Standing Committee on Human Rights met on Thursday under the Chairmanship of Senator Walid Iqbal here at the Parliament House

Event Date: 2022-12-01

 The Committee on Thursday discussed the matter of the number of Pakistani Citizens who are currently detained in Guantanamo Bay jail indicating the nature of cases filed against them and duration of imprisonment in Guantanamo Bay with separate details of each Pakistani Detainee in the Senate Sitting held on 4th January. The committee discussed the matter and observed that currently two individuals claiming Pakistani nationality are imprisoned in Guantanamo Bay, namely Mr. Muhammad Ahmed Rabbani and Mr. Abdul Rahim Ghulam Rabbani , as per the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the repatriation of the said two detainees to Pakistan is expected in January, 2023. The Foreign Affairs Ministry (America Division) responded that a complex inter-agency process has been completed to enable their repatriation to Pakistan and the arrangements are being made and the two detainees will be repatriate in January.  The committee observed that the nationality of the prisoners were in question which has been cleared by the ministry of Interior and recommended that the Foreign Affairs committee should make compensation of individuals in such cases. The committee also unanimously recommended that the US government should by proper diplomatic means probe into such cases. Senator Mushtaq Hussain also recommended that such cases should be taken up in the Higher Courts for justice .    

Further consideration of Point of Public Importance regarding "Killing of Narim Jokhio in Thatta raised by Senator Saifullah Abro in the Senate Sitting held on 10 November, 2021 was disposed of, the committee observed that the matter has been adequately talked out and the matter concerned has been resolved however an extension of the matter is subjudice in the higher courts therefore the matter was disposed of.  

Matters pertaining to point of public importance regarding "Target killing of four young men in District North Waziristan and  "worsening law and order situation in Swat and Malakand Division, and incident of killing of innocent citizens in Swat in fake encounters" raised by Senator Mushtaq Ahmed were deferred. The committee unanimously decided that propriety demands that in order to attain full understanding and fairness in the matter it should be discussed in, in-camera sessions and therefore the matters were deferred. Similarly , matter of point of public importance regarding incident of violence against an Assistant Commissioner, belonging to Christian Community, Posted in Toba Tek Singh was also deferred due to absence of the Mover.

 

Matter of Point of Public importance regarding treatment of a child by K-electric raised by Senator Keshoo Bai, the committee constituted a sub-committee headed by Qurat ul Ain Marri and Seemee Ezdi and Dr Humayun Mohamand as members of the sub-committee to reach a amicable solution of the final agreement of purchase, placement and implementation of the artificial limbs fittings; the matter in question. Senator Qurat ul Ain Marri said that both the parties need to be on the same note rather chose adversities at the stake of child’s well-being.

The point of Public importance regarding condition of Prisoners in jail raised by Senator Faisal Javed in the Senate Sitting held on 3rd October, 2022 was also taken up in the meeting. Senator Faisal Javed remarked that his point is not concerned with the logistics of the prisons but with regards to torture inflicted upon the prisoners purely on humanitarian grounds. DIG prisons Karachi, IG Prisons Punjab, IG Prisons Baluchistan Special Secretary Home Department and IG prisons Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, all officers shared their views and condition of the jails and prisons, however the matter was deferred after redrafting the brief as per the question of custodial torture in the cells raised by Senator Faisal Javed.      

While briefing the jail conditions the committee was apprised that there are 119 jails country wide and has various cells for redressal of prisoners such as the Criminal Justice Committee to deal with the issue of the prisoners, legal aid committee which gives free legal aid. It was apprised that district level visits are conducted by the session judge. The Sindh Prison Correction Act is also being enacted upon. The committee was briefed that the jailors under trail are also provided by vacational training courses. The committee was also apprised that there are physcologicalist also in the prisons to aid the prisoners as well as the watch and ward staff for better conduct and to inculcate civic sense in the handlers. The committee also showed concern over to inspect the implementation of all the international treaties to which Pakistan is a signatory to Pakistan Prison and Custodial torture. The officials informed that their is a dire need for National Policy to be formulated so that the concerns of Prisoners and jailer's can be addressed in the best interest of Human Rights

The committee also took notice of abusive language used by political leaders and condemned their conduct.

The meeting was attended by Senators Falak Naz, Dr. Mohammad Humayun Mohamand, Seemee Ezdi, Qurat ul Ain Marri. Abida Muhammad Azeem, Muhamand Tahir Bizinjo,  Irfan ul Haq Siddiqui, Mushtaq Ahmed, Keshoo Bai and Senator  Faisal Javed. Senior officials from the ministry and other attached departments were also in attendance.