ISLAMABAD: The Ministry of Human Rights informed the Senate Functional Committee on Human Rights on Wednesday that it has recommended increasing women’s representation in the federal cabinet to at least 10 per cent, while the women participation in civil services has improved significantly.
A meeting of the Senate Functional Committee was presided by Chairperson Senator Samina Mumtaz Zehri to consider multiple matters of public importance, including the target killing of Ahmed Javed, human rights concerns of Afghan women facing visa revocations in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP), progress on reforms to improve conviction rates in gender-based violence (GBV) cases and Resolution No584 regarding challenges faced by women and girls in Pakistan.
The committee received a detailed briefing from the Ministry of Human Rights on measures undertaken to improve conviction rates in GBV cases and it was informed that conviction rates, previously around 4 per cent before 2020, have improved significantly with the establishment of 480 GBV courts, six Anti-Rape Crisis Cells (ARCCs) and a strengthened legal framework post-2021.
However, the conviction rate in rape cases in Punjab last year remained as low as 4 per cent and the highest in Sindh i.e. 22 per cent, followed by Balochistan 12 per cent, Islamabad Capital Territory (ICT) 6.9 per cent and KP 6 per cent.
The committee expressed concern over delays in the proceeding of sexual offence cases, lack of defined timelines and challenges in the collection of digital evidence.
Emphasising the need for capacity building in forensic sciences, the committee chairperson stressed strengthening the criminal justice chain from FIR registration to trial to ensure timely justice. Senator Mumtaz Zehri appreciated the ministry’s efforts and decided to continue deliberations on the matter in subsequent meetings.
While considering Resolution No 584, the committee noted Pakistan’s ranking at 148th in the Global Gender Parity Report and highlighted both performance and data gaps. Senator Mumtaz Zehri underscored the importance of women’s participation in all sectors for national development and stressed the need to address persistent socio-economic and cultural barriers.
Senator Aimal Wali Khan was of the view that Afghans should be given the nationality and also discussed the issue of visa revocations affecting Afghan women in KP. The committee chairperson directed the Ministry of Interior to share the government policy provisions as no injustice should be done in this regard. She urged the Ministry of Interior to formulate policies that safeguard human rights and provide legal pathways on humanitarian grounds.
Taking up the case of Ahmed Javed’s target killing in Lahore, the committee raised serious concerns over discrepancies in FIRs and changes in the nature of the case, including the exclusion of Anti-Terrorism Act provisions. The committee noted that the firing of 136 bullets indicated the element of terrorism rather than personal enmity. Punjab prosecutor general told the committee that the case was altered based on the complainant’s FIR, in line with judicial precedents, adding relevant provisions could be added at later stage through a supplementary challan.
The committee chairperson directed the IGP Punjab and the prosecutor general to submit a comprehensive report in the next meeting, reaffirming its commitment to ensuring justice.
The Jaranwala incident involving the burning of houses belonging to the Christian community was also discussed, with the committee highlighting the misuse of religious narratives to settle personal vendettas.The meeting concluded with directions for submission of detailed reports on all key matters in the next session.
