Senate body approves bill against land grabbers

ISLAMABAD: Senate Committee on Interior Friday approved Illegal Dispossession (Amendment) Bill 2017 under which 10 years’ imprisonment for land grabbers and their connivers is proposed.

The meeting of the Senate committee was held Friday with chair of its Chairman Senator Rehman Malik. The committee passed the bill with the directions to the Ministry to bring necessary amendments on the bill within 15 days.

Minister of State Balighur Rehman assured the committee necessary amendments shall be introduced within fifteen days. The committee has taken serious notice of the continuous recovery of narcotics from PIA airplanes and directed the ministry and concerned departments to brief it. Senior joint secretary of the Narcotics Division briefed the committee saying that the matter is under investigation and findings shall be shared with the committee after conclusion.

He said that the Prime Minister has already directed formation of an inquiry committee to investigate the matter.   Senator Rehman Malik said that he and committee appreciate the Prime Minister’s move; however, the committee demands thorough investigation into the matter.

He said that such heinous crimes bring a bad name not only to the national institutions like PIA but also to the country as a whole. He said whosoever found involved must be punished as per the law.

Malik said such planned crimes are not possible without involvement of the officials at airport. He directed representatives from PIA, CIA to be present in the next committee meeting. Malik said as per his information, there is a drug mafia consisting of officials from different agencies involved in this heinous crime. He said drugs officials of ANF said that drug was planted in the rare kitchen of the plane.

As the committee had asked FIA for briefing on the arrest of Afghan girls at Shaheed Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto Airport Islamabad, Director FIA Dr Mazharul Haq Kakakhel briefed the committee in detail saying that by prompt action of FIA officials, the Afghan girls were arrested at the airport, who were to travel abroad on forged documents.

Kakakhel added the case was investigated thoroughly by a capable team under his supervision and all those who were involved in this case of human smuggling were arrested. He said that unfortunately two senior officials of PIA task force were found involved and arrested. Committee members and officials of the departments concerned attended the meeting.