The Senate Standing Committee on Human Rights was chaired by Senator Mustafa Nawaz Kokhar. IG Islamabad and ICT administration briefed the committee on overall progress in the case.
IG Islamabad criticized SHO Shahzad Town and said that police did not take the matter seriously in the initial stages. He said that a judicial inquiry team consisting of 11 officers was also formed which will investigate the case from all possible angles.
He said that the delays in post-mortem and the possible influence of sectarian ethos will also be inquired. The IG also urged to brief the committee in an in-camera session due to the sensitivity of the case.
Chairman of the committee Senator Mustafa Nawaz Kokhar also slammed poor performance of the police. The committee asked the IG why a report was not immediately registered, to which he said that ‘children often return home within some hours normally in such cases’.
Senator Jahanzeb Jamaldini asked about moral training of police officers, especially in light of another case in which 3 police officers are accused of raping a woman in Rawalpindi. Senator Usman Kakar slammed media over ‘disgusting’ reporting and also government officials to failing to pay a visit to the aggrieved family.
The lack of action from Human Rights Minister Shireen Mazari’s side was slammed in particular. “In Pakistan, everyone likes to talk about human rights, everyone preaches that, but not much is done practically. Shireen Mazari paid no visits to the victim’s family, and she has the human rights minister’s portfolio,” Senator Kamran Michael said.
Pashtun Tahhafuz Movement (PTM) MNA Mohsin Dawar said that nobody raises their voice regarding such issues but PTM. However, when PTM leaders raise their voice, they are treated as criminals. An FIR was registered against PTM leader Gulalai Ismail over a protest against Farishta's rape and murder.