Standing Committee briefed on MPs’ role to curb HR violations

ISLAMABAD—The Standing Committee on Law, Justice and Human Rights has been given a detailed briefing on effective participation of the parliamentarians to protect children in accordance with the ratified Convention on the Rights of Child.
Chairman Standing Committee Rai Mansab Ali Khan chaired the meeting in which Deputy Country Representative of the UNICEF gave a detailed briefing. It was highlighted that the children who lived in extreme poverty often experienced violence, exploitation and discrimination.
It was noted that the Millennium Development Goals would not be achieved without protecting children. It was further emphasized that steps should be taken to implement the existing laws for building and maintaining a protective environment for children preventing violence, trafficking, abuse, child labor, sexual exploitation etc.
The meeting also emphasized that in order to curb and eradicate the menace of adulteration, the Ministry of Food, Agriculture and Livestock should submit a consolidated statement pertaining to all the provinces showing the existing mechanism, quantity and quality of inspections and complaints lodged for prosecuting the wrongdoers.
The statement should also include quantum of punishments awarded, appeals filed in cases of insufficient sentence awarded by the trial courts and the amendments proposed for changing all the problematic behaviors. The committee was informed about the human rights violation cases and it took serious view of a recent rape and murder of an 8-year old girl in Lahore
The Committee directed that the latest report of investigation be submitted at the earliest. Regarding compensation to the family of the murdered photographer of the KTN Television, it was pointed out that the relevant ministry should take necessary steps for early disbursement of grant.
Minister of State for Law, Justice and Human Rights Ch. Shahid Akram Bhinder, Ch. Haroon Qaiser, Ms. Kashmala Tariq, Nawab Mirza Advocate, AbdulMujeeb Pirzada, Muhammad Usman Advocate, Ms. Mehreen Anwar Raja and Shahid Manzoor (Members of Committee) attended the meeting.