ISLAMABAD: The Senate Standing Committee on Interior on Tuesday expressed its grave concern over the alarming increase in dengue cases in the federal capital and asked the government to declare a dengue epidemic in Islamabad.

The standing committee, which met at Parliament House with Senator Abdul Rehman Malik in the chair, recommended the government to form committees at the street level so that vulnerable areas could be identified on time and necessary measures taken accordingly.

This year, more than 3,000 dengue cases were reported in Islamabad.

Recommends committees at street level to identify vulnerable areas

A few days ago, Parliamentary Secretary for National Health Services (NHS) Dr Nausheen Hamid also admitted on the floor of the National Assembly that the government did not take precautionary measures on time to prevent dengue in the capital.

The committee recommended the government to take long-term measures to curb the menace.

The committee chairman directed the government to task the National Institute of Health (NIH) to prepare dengue vaccine.

He summoned the provincial health secretaries to the next meeting so that a way forward could be explored to control the epidemic.

The committee also decided to call officials of the health ministry to the next meeting to have a briefing on the disease.

While taking up a public petition of Safe City project, the committee chairman said National Database and Registration Authority (Nadra) should accommodate the sacked employees of Safe City Project.

The committee sought a detailed report about the sacked employees in the next meeting.

Meanwhile, the committee heard a public petition filed by Raja Jamil Abbasi, a resident of Lakhwal village, regarding alleged unlawful operation of the CDA in Lakhwal and Banigala.

The committee directed the civic authority to submit a list of officers who carried out the operation.

Earlier, the committee discussed abduction and killing of three children in Chunian, Kasur, and lauded the efforts of the DIG and SSP concerned in solving the case.

The committee also recommended promotion of the constable who played an active role in the arrest of the culprit.

The committee chairman recommended that modern techniques should be introduced in identification of culprits of such crimes and directed the interior ministry to establish forensic laboratories in each provincial capital.

The committee emphasised the need for a law to curb pornography and child abuse.

Jammu and Kashmir

The committee also discussed Indian brutalities in occupied Kashmir.

Senator Rehman Malik condemned the ongoing Indian forces’ brutalities in Kashmir and moved the following resolution:

“The Senate Standing Committee on Interior strongly condemns the unprecedented brutalities, 64 days long cruel curfew, violation of human rights, use of force, live ammunition and pellet guns by Indian armed forces against unarmed people of Kashmir who are struggling for their legitimate right of self-determination under 11 resolutions duly passed by United Nations Security Council.

“The committee demands the United Nations to compel the Indian government to immediately lift the curfew in India-held Kashmir and constitute a high powered Inquiry Commission to investigate human rights violations in Jammu and Kashmir. The committee demands immediate release of all arrested or detained Kashmiri leaders, professionals and activists including the abducted young boys.

“This committee demands that the Pakistan government should move a resolution in the United Nation Security Council (UNSC) demanding the announcement of timeline for the plebiscite in Kashmir to ensure the implementation of earlier resolutions duly passed by United Nations Security Council.

“The committee unanimously adopted that the prime minister may call an APC only on Kashmir issue to frame way forward with consensus of all political parties.”

Interior minister Ijaz Shah, senators Kulsoom Parveen, Javed Abbasi, Mohammad Azam Khan Swati, Mohammad Tahir Bizenjo, Mian Mohammad Ateeq Shaikh, Sardar Mohammad Shafiq Tareen, Shahzad Waseem, Aurangzeb Khan and senior officers of the interior ministry, Punjab police, Nadra, CDA, MCI attended the meeting.

Published in Dawn, October 9th, 2019