The National Assembly’s Standing Committee on Human Rights on Wednesday expressed dissatisfaction on the police statements regarding to the killing of five Chechens in Kharotabad on May 17, and directed the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to obtain history and complete details about the deceased.
The committee, which met at the Parliament House with Riaz Fatyana, in the chair, advised the inspector general of police concerned to probe the case justly. A sub-committee comprising Farahnaz Isphani, Captain (r) Muhammad Safdar, Rubina Saadat Qaim Khani, Attiya Inayatullah, Mustafa Khokhar, and Shafique Chaudhry was formed to probe the matter while the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the embassy of Russia/Chechnya, the Ministry of Interior, the Balochistan IG will assist the sub-committee in this regard. Regarding the Gojra incident dated August 1, 2009, the committee was informed that in accordance with the recommendations of the judicial commission, action against the police officials had been completed.
The committee expressed dissatisfaction over the absence of representative of the Established Division from the committee.
Police officials informed the committee that the body of journalist Saleem Shehzad was found in Heed Rasool area of Mandi Bahauddin district and investigation was underway.
Regarding the lynching of two brothers in Sialkot, the committee was informed that statements of 29 witnesses had been recorded and the case was under trial in an anti-terrorism court. The Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) DG told the committee that Rs 500,000 had been paid to the 136 legal heirs each to the victims of the Air-blue crash.
He said a total of 65 cases had been received in the Ministry of Defence so far, of which compensation had been paid to the legal hires of approximately forty victims during the outgoing financial year. The remaining cases were pending due to non-completion of legal documents, he said.
The committee directed the CAA DG that DNA report of the victims should be shared and responsibility and cause of the crash should be fixed and action should be taken accordingly.
The committee directed the CAA to finalise the Montreal Convention 1999 including Carriage of Airway Bill without further delay.
