Senate Standing Committee on Human Rights has appealed religious scholars to give recommendation for keeping check on the misuse of Blasphemy law.

The committee, which met here under the chairmanship of Senator Afrasiab Khattak was referring to Rimsha Masih case. The committee directed police department not to register FIRs under any pressure. They were responding to the explanation given by Inspector General (Islamabad) Bani-Amin Khan for registering FIR against a child on the basis of weak evidence.

The committee lauded Islamabad Police for conducting inquiry on factual grounds. The IGP apprised the meeting members about the details of alleged blasphemy case against 11-year-old Ramsha Masih and informed that there is no security issue for Christian community in the area.

The meeting was attended by Senator Raza Rabbani, Senator Farhat Ullah Baber, Senator Hari Ram Kishori Lal, Senator Farhat Abbas, Senator Suriya Amir ud Din, officials of human rights ministry and concerned departments attended the meeting.

The committee also decided to send a delegation of human rights ministry to Gilgit-Baltistan (GB) for unveiling actual facts of illegal detention of Baba Jan, a resident of Nasirabad, Hunza, GB. The representatives of police department explained that Baba Jan was found in possession of anti-state material. In response, Senator Raza Rabbani said that it was a serious allegation and police representatives should produce the material found in his house before the committee in the next meeting.

The committee also called Interior Minister Rehman Malik in its next meeting to look into practice of following Sri Lankan model for improving law and order situation in the country. Senator Afrasiab Khattak issued the directives in response to 208 reported police encounters in the Punjab province in last six months.

Additional Inspector General Punjab, Khan Baig informed the meeting that 174 criminals were killed in 208 encounters, 50 sustained injuries and 198 were arrested, while 23 police cops also embraced martyrdom in these incidents besides 76 injured from January to July this year.

The meeting also discussed the issue of the forced marriages in Hindu community in Sindh and Senator Farhat Ullah Baber proposed that the bodies working on human rights should work exclusively on ‘Hindu Marriage Registration Act Bill’ to protect their rights.

Senator Hari Ram Kishori Lal asked for enhancing the age of Hindu girl marriage from 16 to 18 years so that they should be sensible enough to take decisions of their life without any influence. He suggested establishing safe homes for minority girls. He recommended a mechanism where a girl should be produced before the court in 48 hours.