ISLAMABAD: The Senate functional Committee on Human Rights Tuesday directed the government of Khyber Pakhtunkhawa (KPK) to ensure security for Ambreen’s family members, especially for Saima and Musa in the famous Abbotabad murder case. The Senate body met here under the chairmanship of Senator Muhammad Mohsin Khan Leghari and was briefed on the arrest of the murderers of teenager Ambreen in Abbotabad, who was burnt alive in a vehicle on the verdict of a Jirga.
While briefing the committee, District Police Officer Abbottabad Khurram Rasheed informed the meeting that during investigation, police arrested 15 accused including Ambreen’s mother, who was deemed innocent. He said14 accused were on Police remand and one accused, Wajid, was still missing.The Committee directed the law enforcement agencies to ensure security for Saima and Musa and alongwith Ambreen’s family who was receiving threats since her murder. The committee lauded the timely and prompt response of KPK police. “We appreciate the way this case has been handled by the police,” said Chairman Committee Senator Muhammad Muhsin Khan Leghari.
Okara military farms: The committee also discussed the issue of Okara Military farms. Major General Abid Nazir briefed the body that the problem had been resolved with the help of parliamentarians and local administration and the case from Supreme Court had been withdrawn. The representative said that the farms operated within the auspices of the crop-sharing between the administrators and the tenants in which inputs like seeds and fertilisers were provided by the army. The representative revealed there were only 11 army officers to tend to 17,000 tenants and wards of lessees that operated the farms.
He said that the contract was renewed every year and no one would be or had been expelled from the farms, adding that no First Information Report (FIR) had been registered by the armed forces against the local community. “FIRs were registered by the locals against each other,” he said. The committee members agreed that the demand of giving possession to the local community is not an appropriate option. Senator Farhatullah Babur proposed the Committee to call the representatives of the other side for a hearing as well so their issues could be addressed.
The committee was also briefed on the status of the National Commission on Human Rights (NCHR). Member NCHR Chaudhry Shafiq informed the Committee that the report for salary packages is with the prime minister for final approval. “There is a chance that funds provided for salaries will lapse if the decision in not taken in time,” he warned.
The meeting was attended by Senator Sitara Ayaz, Senator Nisar Muhammad, Senator Farhatullah Babur, Senator Samina Abid and Senator Mufti Abdul Sattar, Secretary Ministry of Human Rights (MOHR) Nadeem Ashraf, officials of MOHR and representatives of the NCHR.
