Senate asks govt to ensure speedy recovery of missing persons

Terming the abduction, arbitrary lifting and forced disappearance of any human being illegal and intolerable in a civilised society, the Upper House of parliament on Wednesday asked the federal and provincial governments to take immediate and effective steps to ensure the speedy recovery and release of all such persons, except those who were charged for an offence under the law of the land.
In a resolution moved by Senator Prof Khurshid Ahmed and unanimously adopted by the House, the issue of missing persons was declared persistent violation of articles 9 and 10 of the constitution. The House expressed deep concern over the issue and sought immediate remedy to it.
The resolution said, “The Senate of Pakistan expresses deep concern over the issue of missing persons, involving persistent violation of articles 9 and 10 of the constitution. While acts of terrorism or subversion are unforgivable, even a citizen is innocent until proven guilty through due process of law. The abduction, arbitrary lifting and forced disappearance of any human being is illegal and intolerable in a civilized society. The Senate resolves that the federal and provincial governments should take immediate and effective steps to ensure the speedy recovery and release of all such persons, except those who are charged under the law of the land for any offence.”
Speaking on a point of order, Senator Haseeb Khan said transportation of imported palm oil to the rest of the country was suspended due to strike of the transporters. He said 250,000 tonnes of palm oil was lying at the Karachi Port and ghee mills were facing shortage of the raw material. He warned of severe shortage of ghee in the market in the coming days.
Senator Ilyas Bilour also endorsed the concerns of the legislator and asked the government to do the needful to avert the looming crisis.
Senators including Abdul Ghafoor Haideri, Abdul Ghaffar Qureshi and Salim Saifullah Khan condemned the Sindh government for not notifying Arbab Ghulam Rahim as opposition leader in the Sindh Assembly. They were of the view that the provincial government should promote democratic norms in the country instead of giving discriminatory treatment to the opponents. Senator Tahir Mashhadi criticised the performance of the Sindh Police for not taking action against the accused involved in molestation of women and girls. He said during the last two days, seven cases of rape and molestation involving women and minor females were reported from Sindh but the police failed in taking action against the accused.
The House also passed the Industrial Relations Bill 2012, to ensure more rights to labourers and consolidate and rationalise the law in Islamabad Capital Territory and at trans-professional level, relating to formation of trade unions, determining the collective bargaining agents, regulation of relations between employer and workers, the avoidance and settlement of any differences or disputes arising between them or matters connected therewith and ancillary thereto.