Senate body rejects bill seeking ban on child marriage

Committee seeks report on missing persons, knife attacks in Karachi

ISLAMABAD: Senate Standing Committee on Interior and Narcotics Control on Wednesday rejected the ‘Child Marriage Restraint (Amendment) Bill, 2017’ and referred the same to Council of Islamic Ideology (CII) for any future review.

The meeting was held under the chairmanship of Senator Abdur Rehman Malik here at the Parliament House, which was attended among others by Senators Shahi Syed, Mir Israrullah Khan Zehri, Tahir Hussin Mashhadi, Muhammad Javed Abbasi, Muhammad Ali Khan Saif, Shibli Faraz, Minister of State for Interior Talal Chaudhry and officials from ministry of interior, religious affairs and law division. The meeting took up the bill moved by Senator Sehar Kamran and referred it the CII for review.

In his remarks on the bill, Committee Chairman Senator Rehman Malik said that no law shall be approved contrary to Islamic injunctions.

The Senate Standing Committee also deferred discussion on the ‘Prevention of Witchcraft Bill, 2017’, ‘Criminal Laws (Amendment) Bill, 2017’ moved by Senator Chaudhry Tanvir Khan, and the ‘Criminal Laws (Amendment) (Protection of Rights of Transgender Persons) Bill, 2017’ moved by Senator Rubina Khalid due to absence of movers.

The committee, while discussing progress on a petition submitted by Ms Naziran—daughter of Fateh Muhammad Khoso, a resident of Madras Muhallah Khandhkot—requesting for recovery of her missing father, was told by the Interior Ministry that four agencies have told that the person is not in their custody, and response from others is awaited. It was also told that the ministry has written to FC to seek information about whether any FIR was lodged for recovery or not.

Senator Sanaullah Zehri raised the issue of missing persons in Balochistan and asked the Committee chairman to take up the matter in the committee. Senate Committee Chairman on Interior directed interior ministry to submit a comprehensive report on the issue of missing persons in an in-camera session of the committee.

Senator Rehman Malik said, “We must refrain from blaming our intelligence agencies and LEAs for the missing persons in Balochistan and other parts of the country, as he as former interior minister of the country knows that enemy’s agencies are also behind disappearing persons in Balochistan in order to defame Pakistan and incite hatred and differences.” He added that “we all know about what was confessed by RAW’s agent Kulbushan Jhadav.”

Meanwhile, Senator Rehman Malik appreciated the services of Justice (retd) Javed Iqbal as head of the Missing Persons Commission and hoped that he will meet the expectations of people of Pakistan as NAB chairman.

The Senate Committee, while continuing to put the matter in its purview, also decided to refer it to the Missing Persons Commission to further look into it. Minister of state told the meeting that a total of 4,329 cases were brought to the commission and, out of these, 2,943 have been resolved and disposed of, while around 1,300 are under progress. The members of the committee pointed out that in many instances, the cases are disposed of because compensation is paid and the person is not recovered.

Senate Standing Committee on Interior and Narcotics Control also decided to take a report from the federal and provincial governments on the rising incidents of stabbing women in Karachi. In this regard, IG Police and Home Secretary Sindh will be called to the next meeting of the committee to brief the committee on the stabbing of women in Karachi.

Rehman Malik condemned it and took serious notice of the missing of youth from the Shia community in Karachi during Muharram. He directed the secretary committee to direct the federal, as well as Sindh, government to brief the committee on the issue of missing youth in Karachi.

Denouncing statement of US Secretary Defence that the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) was passing through a disputed territory, Rehman Malik said that the US was speaking the language of Pakistan’s enemy India, which is not acceptable. He said that CPEC is a continuation of the centuries-old trade route, the Silk Road, for the purpose of regional prosperity and development. He said that US rather than opposing CPEC should support and participate in peaceful activities to ensure peace in the region.

Interior secretary’s absence in the meeting was noticed and it was warned if he doesn’t ensure his presence in next meetings, the committee will proceed with sending a notice.