A meeting of the committee chaired by Convener MNA, Ali Muhammad Khan perused three identical private Bills including, ‘The Commission for Minorities Bill, 2015’, moved by Ms Beelum Hasnain MNA, ‘The Commission for Minorities Bill, 2015’, moved by Lal Chand Malhi and ‘The Commission for Minorities Bill, 2016’, moved by Sanjay Perwani, MNA.
Ali Muhammad Khan directed religious ministry to have a session with three movers of the bills and finalize a join bill named National Commission for Non-Muslim Pakistani’s Rights.
MNA Lal Chand Malhi said The Commission for Minorities Bill would have a chairman and 10 members. The chairman of minority community would be appointed by Prime Minister and Leader of the Opposition in National Assembly.
The main responsibility will be to register complaints of minority community members and forward to relevant department for redressal. MNA Begum Beelum Hasnain said a commission should be constituted for protecting minorities’ rights.
Additional Secretary Ministry of Religious Affairs and Interfaith Harmony Muhammad Ashraf told the meeting that an identical Bill National Commission for Interfaith Harmony was almost finalized.
The committee was told that the existing National Commission for Minorities held only five meetings in last five years. The committee expressed displeasure over the commission for what they said holding only one meeting in a year.