Senate body condemns Zainab, Asma’s abduction, rape, murder

ISLAMABAD: The Senate Standing Committee on Interior Monday passed a resolution condemning the abductions, rapes and murders of innocent minor children across the country and condemned the murder of innocent Zainab and Asma and proposed amendment to Section 364A of the PPC for increasing the punishment to “Hanging to Death Publicly” was sent to the House.

The special meeting of the committee with one point agenda of “abduction, rape and murder of minor children” was held under the chairmanship of Senator Rehman Malik here at the Parliament House on Monday. The meeting was also attending by Advocate Anees Jillani, Barrister Benazir Jatoi and Ms Valerie Khan as representatives of civil society and children rights activists.

On the special invitation and arrangements of Senator Rehman Malik, the aggrieved parents of Zainab, the seven years old minor girl who had been abducted, raped and murdered, also attended the meeting.

In the meeting, Committee Chairman Rehman Malik moved a resolution against abduction, rape and murder cases of minor children across the country which was unanimously passed and adopted by the members. The resolution with proposed amendment to Section 364A of the PPC for increasing the punishment to “hanging to death publicly” was sent to the House.

The Senate Committee on Interior Chairman Senator Rehman Malik read the resolution as follow: “The Senate Standing Committee on Interior strongly condemns the painful incidents of abduction, rape and murder of innocent minor children and expresses sympathies with victim families and extends full support to them. This Committee strongly condemns rape and subsequent murder of seven-year-old Zainab Ansari in Kasur and four year old Asma in Mardan. This Committee recommends to and demands of the government of Pakistan to immediately announce National Commission on Rights of Children Pakistan (NCRCP) to address the issue of child abuse at all level and to adopt strong measures to create deterrent to stop this heinous crime of child abuse in all over country.

“The Committee asks all inspector general police (IGPs) to set a special cell / research wing under their own command in all police headquarters for rapid response to the complaints of child abuse. The Senate Standing Committee on Interior strongly proposes amendments to Section 364A of PPC for increasing the punishment to ‘hanging to death publicly’. This Committee also asks the Nacta to add the feature in their upcoming Apps for reporting to crime through picture / video footage.”

Senator Rehman Malik, in his opening remarks said that he is deeply shocked and aggrieved by the news of incidents of rape and murder of our minor children, and it is the need of time to move for stringent punishment to set precedent. He said that he, his Committee and every Pakistani stand by the victim families of Zainab and Asma as they were not only their children but every Pakistani. He said that such ruthless criminals deserve no mercy so they must be punished severely and publicly that no one in future can dare to commit such heinous crime.

Rehman Malik proposed the amendments to Section 364A of PPC as follow: “364A. Kidnapping and abducting a person under age of 14 years--whoever kidnaps or abducts any person under the age of 14 years of age in order that such person may be murdered or subjected to grievous hurt, or slavery or to the lust of any person or may be so disposed of as to be put in danger of being murdered or subjected to grievous hurt or slavery, or to the lust of any person shall be punished with death by hanging publically or with [imprisonment for life] or with rigorous imprisonment for a term which may extend to 14 years and shall not be less than seven years.”

In statement of object and reasons, the committee chairman Senator Rehman Malik said that people are most likely to be discussed from committing a crime if the punishment is swift, certain and severe. “The purpose is that fear of punishment could prevent others from committing similar crime,” he said.

It is expedient to amend the Pakistan Penal Code to make offender dreadful for other offenders who commit the offences related to kidnapping or abducting or raping and murdering a child under the age of 14 years, he stressed and added it is heartening that law enforcement agencies have not yet been able to get held all the heinous criminals. He said that we, as a nation, are failing to hear the cries of our daughters being tortured, raped and murdered. We, therefore, need a stringent law and to deliberate and frame the law which could create deterrent and punishment to such criminals, he added.

Both father and mother of Zainab briefed the meeting about the incident and also told the committee that they are not satisfied with the investigation as so far police is failed to arrest the killer of their innocent daughter.

They appealed to the committee to bring the killer of their daughter to justice. They said that they demand the door to door search and use of sniffer dogs and other technology to find the culprit.

Senator Chairman Rehman Malik formed a special sub-committee to be headed by Senator Shahi Syed to submit the in-depth report on the incident of Zainab, Asma and all the cases of same nature across the country.

Giving briefing on the Zainab murder case, Additional Inspector General of Police Punjab Abu Bakar Khuda Baksh briefed the committee that 1,500 people were so far investigated in Zainab case and 692 DNA tests have been carried out and investigation is still continue on different leads and angles. The committee showed dissatisfaction over the investigation process and directed to stay in contact with victim family to reach the culprit as soon as possible.

The Committee chairman directed Punjab Police to provide full-proof security to the family of Zainab, and directed RPO Mardan to provide security to the family of Asma. RPO Mardan Muhammad Alam Shinwari briefed the committee about the murder of Asma in Mardan, but the Committee rejected the medical report presented by the RPO and directed him to present a clear medical report in the next meeting. The Committee expressed great annoyance over the delay in investigation in both the cases and said the whole nation is waiting for the stringent punishment of culprits in both cases.

The RPO Mardan said that he is not sure either the victim child was raped or not as sample are sent to Punjab Forensic Laboratory, Lahore. Senate Standing Committee chairman asked the governments of KP and Punjab to financially support the victim families of Zainab and Asma.

He also directed he Inspector General Police (IGPs) of all provinces to set a special cell / research wing under their own command in all Police Headquarters for rapid response to the complaints of child abuse.

Asking the NACTA National Coordinator, Ihsan Ghani, Rehman Malik said special feature should be added to their upcoming Apps for reporting to crime through picture / video footage. He directed Pemra to ask all the private TV channels to voluntary dedicate a special time to run programmer on creating awareness among the public about the protection of their children and prevention of child abuse.

In the meeting Fateh was prayed for the departed soul of Zainab, Asma and polio workers who had been killed in Balochistan. The Committee asked for report on the killing of polio workers in Balochistan and directed the Ministry of Interior to ensure the life security of the polio workers across the country.

Barrister Benazir Jatoi said that we require a separate and parallel civil system that puts an obligation on the state to protect children beyond criminal proceedings that includes prevention, education and awareness.

Anees Jillani and Valerie Khan also briefed the committee and said such criminals to be punished stringently. The Committee chairman asked for brief suggestions in written from the children right activists.

The meeting was attended, among others, by Senator Col (R ) Tahir Mashhadi, Senator Javed Abbasi, Senator Sardar Fateh Hassani, Senator Shahi Syed and Senator Dr Jehanzeb Jamaldini as members and by Special Secretary Interior, National Coordinator Nacta Ihsan Ghani, Punajb Additional IG Police Abu Bakr Khuda Bakhsh, Mardan RPO Muhammad Alam Shinwari and also by officials from Law Ministry.