On Tuesday, the Senate Functional Committee on Human Rights was informed that the Federal Administrative Committee (FAC) has allocated Rs31,293,842 to provide financial assistance for the release of 20 convicts who have been detained in prisons due to unpaid Diyat, Arsh, and Damam amounts.
The meeting, held at the Parliament Lodges and chaired by Senator Samina Mumtaz Zehri, was attended by Senators Mohammad Humayun Mohmand, Poonjo Bheel, Dr. Zarqa Suharwardy Taimur, Syed Ali Zafar, Jam Saifullah Khan, and Federal Minister for Law, Justice, and Human Rights Senator Azam Nazeer Tarar, along with senior officials from the Ministry of Human Rights (MoHR).
The committee received a detailed briefing on human rights institutions, which include the National Commission for Human Rights, the National Commission on the Status of Women, the National Commission on the Rights of the Child, the Zainab Alert Response and Recovery Agency, the Child Protection Institute in Islamabad, the Council on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, and the Senior Citizens Council. The briefing also covered social welfare centers and development projects planned for 2024-25.
The committee inquired about the legal process for incarcerated women. Senator Azam Nazeer Tarar clarified that the National Commission’s mandate does not cover legal aid, which is available only to eligible applicants. A district committee ensures that prisoners are kept in reasonable conditions and reports to the government.
Senator Tarar highlighted the launch of the AWAZ app for reporting human rights violations, available on Android and linked to the Prime Minister’s office, operating 18 hours a day. He also discussed the Diyat, Arsh, and Damam Fund, mentioning the FAC’s grant of Rs31,293,842 to assist in releasing 20 convicts.
Further details were provided by the Secretary of the Ministry of Human Rights about the Human Rights Relief and Revolving Fund and the ICT Integrated Social Welfare System (ISWS), which aims to support persons with disabilities (PWDs), senior citizens, transgender individuals, and victims of gender-based violence. The issuance of Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD) certificates was also noted, with 19,000 certificates issued and efforts underway to digitize the data for 7,000 PWDs.
The committee also reviewed the achievements of the National Commission on the Status of Women (NCSW), the National Commission on the Rights of the Child (NCRC), and the Child Protection Institute (CPI), and the launch of the ZARRA Alert app for missing children.
Senator Tarar stressed the need for addressing pending legislation, highlighting the functional and public use of the Pakistan Code app. Chairperson Senator Samina Mumtaz Zehri urged the ministry to promptly act on the Cabinet Committee’s recommendations for speedy justice and to implement the Action Plan on Human Rights. She recommended a nationwide awareness campaign on human rights laws, focusing on domestic violence, child abuse, and rape cases.
