Senate Standing Committee on Human Rights called an urgent meeting on Tuesday under the Chairmanship of Senator Walid Iqbal at the Parliament House to take cognizance of the recent arrest of Shireen Mazari.
The Senate Human Rights committee was informed by the ICT Police that the Islamabad Police only provided assistance in arrest of Shireen Mazari upon the request of anti-corruption department Punjab which was received through the office of the Chief Commissioner ICT. Kamran Khan, SP city Islamabad briefed the Committee on the limited role of Islamabad Police in this regard.
The Ministry of Interior informed the committee that the request from the Home Department Punjab was received directly to the Islamabad administration and Ministry of Interior had nothing to do with the matter. It was further informed that summary for formation of Judicial Commission, as directed by the Islamabad High Court, has been moved by the Ministry.
The Director administration ICT who also attended the meeting said that a letter was received in their office from the Home Department, Govt of Punjab for the arrest of Shireen Mazari , She read out the letter stating therein “Proceed as per law”۔
Director Anti-Corruption Punjab informed the committee that Shireen Mazari was alleged of violating the rights of 310 families and the procedure was adopted as laid down in 1898. The Director Anti –corruption categorically said that the department is ready to defend case in the Judicial Commission as being constituted on the directions of the Islamabad High court.
The Committee was of the unanimous view that detention of Shireem Mazari was an act of political victimization.
Earlier in the meeting, the committee also condemned the raid on Senator Walid Iqbal’s residence at Lahore without having legitimacy and underlined that such incidents are clear cases of Political Victimization and shall be severely condemned۔
The meeting was attended by Senator Mushahid Hussain Sayed, Muhammad Tahir Bizinjo, Gurdeep Singh, Seemee Ezdi, Falak Naz, Qurat ul Ain Marri, and Senator Faisal Ali Subzwari. Member National Assembly Dr Shireen Mazari, senior officers from the Ministry of Human Rights, Ministry of Interior, Dir Administration ICT, representative of IGP Punjab, SP City Islamabad, and Director Anti-Corruption Lahore was also in attendance.
