Sindh home minister’s witness protection bill gets the nod

KARACHI – Members of the Sindh cabinet approved a bill on Saturday drafted by Home Minister Dr Zulfiqar Ali Mirza for providing protection to witnesses in cases filed by the prosecution at the courts.
Briefing media persons about the cabinet members’ decisions, Chief Minister’s Adviser on Information Sharmila Farooqui said that the bill would be presented at the Sindh Assembly for necessary legislation. “Despite the police arresting suspects in several criminal cases, especially incidents of violence, the accused are released by the courts because the witnesses either don’t appear in the court for testifying or change their statements due to pressure or fear,” she said.
Therefore, she added, providing protection to witnesses is necessary, so justice could be served. She said that the cabinet members had also granted the Home Department’s another summary, which recommended increasing the amount of fine for violation of traffic laws. However, she did not provide any details in this regard.
The cabinet members, who met on Saturday after an extended gap with Chief Minister Qaim Ali Shah in chair, also approved another drafted bill, the Sindh Child Protection Bill, under which an authority would be established in the province for providing assistance to orphans. The proposed authority would prepare a policy for orphans, besides forming the Child Protection Unit.
The cabinet members have constituted a three-member committee, comprising Finance Minister Murad Ali Shah, Law Minister Ayaz Soomro, and Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM)’s leader and provincial minister Sardar Ahmed, to propose austerity measures in government departments for reducing official expenses in the situation currently being faced due to the aftermath of the devastating floods.
The cabinet members were informed that the government has already saved Rs 52 billion through deducting the Annual Development Programme funds.
The government has spent Rs 3.6 billion on relief and rehabilitation of the flood-affected people, including providing them with Watan Cards worth Rs 5 billion, Rs 1.4 billion for revival of the irrigation system and Rs 2.9 billion for providing free urea and seed in flood-hit areas.
The cabinet members also constituted a six-member committee, comprising provincial ministers and advisers of MQM, Pakistan People’s Party, Awami National Party and Pakistan Muslim League-Functional, to share recommendations about assigning government officers magistracy powers for controlling prices of essential commodities in the markets.