Senate HR panel irked by absence of Sindh IG

ISLAMABAD: The Senate Human Rights Panel, irked by the absence of IG Sindh, on Tuesday expressed serious reservations over the zero percent conviction rate in crimes against women and children in Sindh.

The Senate Functional Committee on Human Rights held its meeting under Chairperson Senator Samina Mumtaz Zehri, here at the Parliament House on Tuesday. Samina Mumtaz Zehri expressed concerns over the absence of IG Sindh in the meeting, emphasizing that his presence was essential for addressing critical issues related to the growing number of cases of domestic violence, rapes, murders and other crimes against innocent citizens of the province.

She reiterated that the committee’s priority was to work collectively towards creating a safer society and despite repeated reminders, the IG had still not managed to attend the meeting that tantamount to a serious violation of rules.

During the briefing, officials informed the members that complaints could be lodged by calling the helpline 1715 at the IG office and once a complaint is reported, the concerned officer promptly responds. The committee was also briefed on the Zarra Alert and Zainab Alert systems, which have made the complaint process more accessible to the general public. The members stressed the importance of raising public awareness and suggested having a media representative to disseminate crucial information.

Samina Mumtaz Zehri, while highlighting the need for awareness, added that people fear the courts and police for reporting the cases, and in cases of domestic violence, battered and abused women often remain with their abusers, enduring life-threatening conditions.

The secretary (MoHR) also informed that the reporting of such cases is lower in rural areas. Samina Mumtaz Zehri, while acknowledging this, added that power often resides with the jirgas in those regions. She further stated that if the IG does not consider these issues important, they cannot be properly addressed. Of the 1,058 regular cases, 985 are still pending, and it is necessary to identify where things have gone wrong.

She highlighted that incidents of rape are occurring in madrassas in Sindh, with no action being taken against those responsible. She emphasized that we have faced significant issues with investigations and prosecutions as prosecutors often side with criminals, thereby, training personnel appropriately to tackle these growing crimes is paramount and for the national interest of the country. Samina Mumtaz Zehri also inquired about the security mechanism in Sindh, particularly in Karachi. She discussed in detail the issues related to child marriages and actions taken to put an end to this iniquity.

The officer from the concerned department reported that they have implemented restraints on child marriages and through certain preventive measures, have reduced the number of cases. The secretary (MoHR) added that data was not shared by the provinces, which weakens the overall mechanism.

Senator Samina recommended that the department must share the data with the ministries and provide proper training to the staff. She also highlighted that when a child suffers from rape, molestation or abuse, parents often hesitate to report it out of fear of societal judgment. She also suggested that victims should be provided with therapy sessions so that they can overcome the trauma. In addition, Samina Mumtaz Zehri also lamented the lack of speed limit signs on the roads. She added that road accidents are mainly due to illegal licenses. She criticized the irresponsible behavior of not wearing safety helmets and absence of genuine number plates on vehicles. She also recommended proper trainings of constables and improving lack of traffic signs in Sindh.

The DIG traffic reported that most casualties in road accidents involved motorcyclists. He explained that the primary causes of these casualties are two factors: either the motorcyclist does not wear a helmet or does not have rearview mirrors, both of which contribute to accidents. He further added that they are currently working to resolve this issue. Additionally, fines for drunk driving were reported to range from Rs500 to 700. The chairperson asked for the list of fines and requested to make it stricter.

Furthermore, Samina Mumtaz Zehri underscored the importance of training staff and new recruits, as well as making the offices more women friendly. She emphasized that working women deserve greater respect and that it was essential to create a society free from harassment, where women can openly voice their concerns. The committee was briefed on women’s participation in the police department, media campaigns aimed at encouraging more women to join the field, and the overall performance and functions of the Sindh Human Rights Commission. Senator Samina recommended that the director generals (DGs) from all the four provinces come together to address these issues collectively.

In attendance were Senator Dr. Zarqa Suharwardy Taimur, Senator Qurat-ul-Ain Marri, Senator Mohammad Humayun Mohmand, Senator Aimal Wali Khan, Senator Jam Saifullah Khan, the secretary of the Ministry of Human Rights, the chairperson of Sindh Human Rights Commission and senior officials from the Sindh Police, Human Rights Commission, AIGP Gender Crime, Prosecutor General and Human Rights.