ISLAMABAD: A parliamentary committee on Thursday expressed dissatisfaction over what it termed was “poor performance of the National Commission on the Rights of the Child (NCRC)”.

“The performance of the NCRC is zero. The commission had opportunities to perform but nothing was done.

“It has been three years since the Zainab Alert Bill was passed and if the rules of Zainab Alert Bill are not received by Jan 17, a privilege motion will be submitted,” said chairperson of the National Assembly Standing Committee on Human Rights Mehreen Razak Bhutto.

Members, who also expressed dissatisfaction with the performance of the NCRC argued that rules should have been framed within six months after the bill was passed as standard procedure. They argued further that NCRC should improve its performance, and that there would be no more relief.

Chair says privilege motion will be passed if Zainab Alert Bill rules are not submitted

“It is a shame that children in the commission are not getting salaries and benefits,” the committee members said.

Important revelations were shared in the National Commission for Human Rights inquiry report on Adiala Jail. It was also disclosed that drugs were available in Adiala Jail.

“The situation in Adiala Jail is very bad,” said chairperson of the National Commission on Human Rights (NCHR) Rabiya Javeri Agha, who also informed members that prisoners were tortured and skinned. She said, Adiala Jail authorities were influential and it was difficult to shake the jail authorities as they had “connections that went all the way up”.

The committee was informed that Adiala Jail housed 82 children, however, when it came to the release of these children on bail, no one was ready to take them, chairperson of the commission said.

“After our report on Adiala Jail, seven officers were dismissed, another four were suspended while 38 officers were transferred. Following the report, the Islamabad High Court (IHC) ordered the establishment of a grievance cell in Adiala Jail,” she added.

The meeting also discussed the existence of illegal mental health centres in Islamabad. The committee was informed that 20 mental health centres in Islamabad were operating without licences.

As members discussed how consequences of violence against children and women had terrible results, Kadir Mandukhel said that drugs were being easily supplied in prisons and educational institutions.

The committee took up the issue of Central Superior Services (CSS) examinations, where non-Muslim candidates had to take the Islamiyat exam. A decision was taken that minority students would not have to sit the Islamiyat paper in the upcoming CSS exam, a member of the NCHR said.

Published in Dawn, January 13th, 2023