Hazara police firing on April 12 demonstrators: National Assembly body on human rights voices concern over killing of seven people, hurting 152 | Pakistan Press Foundation (PPF)

Pakistan Press Foundation

Hazara police firing on April 12 demonstrators: National Assembly body on human rights voices concern over killing of seven people, hurting 152

ISLAMABAD: National Assembly Standing Committee on Human Rights has expressed grave concern over the killing of seven innocent people and injuring other 152 in Hazara in police firing during protest demo on April 12, 2010, directing the Government of Khyber Pakhtoonkhwa to open the report of the Judicial Commission pertaining to the incident.

The Committee strongly condemned the incident and said that it is democratic right of people to hold peaceful protest for their demands. The DPO Abottabad told the meeting that a judicial Commission was constituted for the inquiry of the incident and it submitted its report to the government of Khyber-Pakhtunkhawa, but the report has not been revealed so for.

The Committee directed the DPO Abttabad to make inquiry that who ordered police personnel to open fire on the people and submit a report within a week. The Committee met here with Riaz Hussain Fatyna in the chair and discussed the issues of missing persons and presence of private jails in Dera Bugti, torture of Abida Hameed by civil lines police station, kidnapping and raping of Ms Shazia in Sialkot and others such cases in the meeting held on Tuesday at Parliament House.

Ms Fauzia Habib, Farahnaz Ispahani, Shakeela Khanam Rasheed, Dr Mehreen Razaque Bhutto, Dr Araish Kumar and Dr Attiya lnayatuflah attended the meeting. The Committee also discussed the matter related to the killing of eight persons in Chak No 332 G.B. Jakhre Tehsil Toba Tek Singh near Thana Chatyana and suggested to wait for the report of the judicial inquiry.

The Committee showed serious concern over the attack on the Ahmadias worship places at Gari Shahu and Model Town and firing at Jinnah Hospital Lahore. To eliminate the growing incidents of human rights violation in the region, the Committee suggested for the training of the Police Department to strengthen their skills. The Chairman of the Committee also directed the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to take immediate steps for the safe return of kidnapped Pakistanis by the Israeli army, terming it as a serious Human Rights violation.

Taking notice of the case regarding the torture on Abida Hameed by Civil Lines Police Station Faisalabad, the Committee showed distrust and dissatisfaction on the local Police of the area. The Committee urged to submit the report of the Joint Investigation Team to the Committee as soon as possible. The Committee advised Police Officials not to harass the victim.

Regarding the rape case of Miss Shazia, the Daewoo hostess, the Committee appreciated the work done by DPO Sialkot and advised the victim and her family not to compromise at any cost with the culprits, so that it would be made a precedent for all other criminals.

The Secretary Ministry of Human Rights was directed to write to the Additional and Session Judge of Sialkot for quick and fair trial. The Committee Chairperson, while taking serious notice of the kidnap/rape of 6 children case hailed from Dhaska, directed the concerned authority to initiate Psychological trainings for the victims so that they could come out of this trauma within no time.

The Committee advised to give the investigation responsibility of acid throwing incident on three women in Kalat, Balochistan in April 2010, to the experts so that they could probe into the matter, directing that the state should become the party where there is a lack of co-operation from the victims family or lack of evidence.

Regarding the incident of migration of Hindu families due to kidnappings and forced marriage, the Committee shown serious concern and suggested to make state the party and lodge an FIR and work should be done to recover the kidnapped lady of Hindu family. The Chair advised to constitute a Commission comprising of District Bar President and a lady lawyer to record the statement of the kidnapped lady and send a copy to the Committee for further action.

Regarding the private jails in Dera Bugti, Riaz Fatyana directed DPO and DCO Dera Bhugtti to held meeting with MNA Ahmaan Khan Bhugti to initiate negotiations with chieftains of Dera Bhugtti to ensure the release of the detainees in their private jails and send the report to the Standing Committee on Human Rights.
Source: Business Recorder
Date:6/2/2010