Daily Times

ISLAMABAD: Legislators in the upper house of the parliament said on Tuesday the government had completely failed to protect the rights of the marginalised segments of the society such as children, women, handicapped people, transgender people and minorities.

The House decided to set up a special committee, which would send its suggestions to the government about welfare of the marginalised people. As the government is unable to protect the rights of these people, the Senate of Pakistan would give suggestions to the government for the welfare of the neglected people.

Senate Chairman Raza Rabbani said it was a wakeup call for the government and it should take measures for welfare of the neglected people. He expressed his displeasure with the fact that not a single minister was present to listen to the legislators debating the issues facing the marginalised segments of the society. He said the Senate would take up issues of public interest from time to time and send its suggestions to the government. On the demand of senators, the Senate chairman said a special committee would be formed after consultations with the leader of the house and leader of the opposition on this issue. The committee would contact and liaise with the organisations working for welfare of marginalised segments of the society, like Edhi Foundation, SOS Village and Sweet Homes.

After deliberations, he said, the committee would review the existing laws and propose laws for the welfare of neglected people. The committee would propose legal reforms, which would mitigate the sufferings of the marginalised people. The committee would work with the National Commission on Status of Women (NCSW) and the National Commission on Human Rights (NCHR) to add to their effectiveness. The committee would send its report to the House every two months and senators would discuss the report in detail.

A woman senator from the Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) said the ruling Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) could not pass the Senator Sughra Imam bill against honour killings and prime minister’s daughter was talking about passing laws against this menace.