HR’s committee passes senior citizens bill 2019

Abdullah Malik

ISLAMABAD: The Senate Functional Committee on Human Rights in its meeting held on Friday at Parliament House discussed in detail the Torture and Custodial Death (Prevention and Punishment Bill, 2020, introduced in the House by Senator Sherry Rehman. The Committee also reviewed in detail the Government Bill, The ICT Rights of Persons with Disability Bill, 2020, introduced and referred to the Committee. The Maintenance and Welfare of Old Parents and Senior Citizen’s Bill, 2019, introduced by Senator Rana Maqbool Ahmed was passed by the Committee unanimously.

Chaired by Senator Mustafa Nawaz Khokar, the meeting was attended by Senator Sherry Rehman, Senator Muhammad Tahir Bizinjo, Senator Muhammad Usman Khan Kakar, Senator Rana Maqbool Ahmed and senior officers from the Ministry of Human Rights, along with all concerned.

Discussing the Torture and Custodial Death (Prevention and Punishment Bill, 2020, introduced by Senator Sherry Rehman; the Committee recommended some amendments and assured that after their incorporation; the Bill will be passed in the next meeting.

While considering the ICT Rights of Persons with Disability Bill, 2020; the Committee in addition to the suggested amendments by the members of te Committee invited a group of differently-able people for their view and input on the Bill and to suggest amendments.

It was recommended that the jurisdiction of this Bill must be extended to the whole of Pakistan and all Federal Government institutions working in provinces.

It was also suggested implementation mechanism of the Bill must be strengthened.

Representation from the community of differently-able person must be ensured in the council to be constituted under the Bill. Specific terminology for different disabilities must be used.

Further it was suggested that all websites in Pakistan must ensure Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) standards are applied. Airlines should facilitate people with disabilities while travelling.

The Committee decided to address all of their concerns of differently-able persons ad take the Bill in the next meeting for further discussion.

The Committee also decided to summon all relevant stakeholders, Governor State Bank, PIA and other related organizations in the next meeting for their input on the Bill.