Fact-finding visit to 'Guantanamo Bay, Bagram like prisons' PPP senator proposes small parliamentary team

Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) Senator Farhatullah Babar on Friday proposed a small parliamentary delegation to undertake a fact-finding visit to peep into what is happening inside "Guantanamo Bay and Bagram like prisons and torture cell" in Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA), Provincially Administered Tribal Areas (PATA) and other parts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
Speaking on a point of public importance in the Senate, he said that as a result of promulgation of the Action in Aid of Civil Power Regulation 2011, several dozen internment centers were set up in different parts of the country for those accused of militancy-related offences.
The Regulation was given backdated effect to encourage the law enforcing agencies to bring into the open those caught during fight against militancy in Swat and Malakand. It was a huge concession given to agencies so that those who were in their custody without trial were brought into the open and tried. However, he said that these internment centers have turned into Guantanamo Bay prisons and black holes from where no information trickled. He regretted that neither Parliament nor Supreme Court had been provided updates about the offences the inmates were charged with whether being tried or not, how long incarcerated and how many died during captivity and how.
Later talking to the media persons, he said that the disclosure made in the KP report before the Supreme Court early this week was even more disturbing. According to it, the army had been called in most of the districts in the KP under the 2011 Regulation suspending the writ jurisdiction of the high court under Article 245 (3) of the Constitution. "So one does not know for sure whether there are only 45 internment centers, as officially admitted, or there were many more Guantanamo Bay type prisons," he said.
On another issue of public importance he drew the attention towards depriving the officers of the Military Lands and Cantonment (MLCS) cadre of the post of Director General for the past over a decade causing heart burning and demoralization of civilian cadre officers. He said that cadre officers of various civil service groups look forward to reaching the top but in this case the highest cadre position was occupied by non-cadre officers without break for over a decade.
Last time the Prime Minister while granting extension to the non-cadre officer had ordered that it would be last time to give extension after which the post shall stand reverted to cadre officers but it had not been done, he said. Senate Chairman Raza Rabbani referred the matter to relevant committee of the Senate to examine and report.
The senators belonging to Balochistan including Kulsum Perveen, Azam Musakheil and Dr Jehenzeb Jamaldi demanded the government to find a permanent solution to the targeted killing of senior police officers in the province. They said that around 40 senior police officers were killed during the last few years, but the government is doing nothing to deal with the militants who are targeting the police on the behest of Pakistan's enemies.
Talking part in the debate on trichotomy of power, Senator Abdul Qayyum of ruling PML-N said that trichotomy of power remained confined to the books. In an obvious reference to his former institution, the retired general regretted that some institutions failed to perform their duties by remaining within the ambit of the Constitution. He said that judiciary also failed to do justice as there exists parallel justice system in the country which shows Pakistani judiciary is yet to go a long way to ensure speedy justice. He said, "Military courts, jirga system, and other means of justice in the country, indicate we should have one justice system in the country."
"The judicial activism must end, and there is a need to plug the loopholes with the executive, as these are some of the major reason we are facing problems from all fronts," he added. Speaking on an adjournment motion by PTI's Senator Azam Swati on various financial issues ie increase in external debts, decrease in remittances, and increase in oil prices, the senators said that unless the government focuses on reviving the local industry, it would not be able to overcome economic challenges confronting the country.
Senator Taj Haider said that the economic issues are mainly due to flawed economic policies, adding there are two segments - one is bent upon bringing revolution through import while the other wants industrialization in the country. He said that the pro-import lobby is dominating at present, and making all-out efforts to privatize profitable state entities, which is the major reason the national economy does not flourish. "We must discourage the import lobby if we want industrialization in the country," he added.
Winding up the debate, Federal Minister for Education and Professional Development Baleegur Rehman said the large-scale manufacturing index of Pakistan has improved like never before in history of Pakistan. "The unprecedented GDP growth rate was recorded at 5.28 percent last year...tax to GDP ratio has also increased. Tax receipts were recorded at Rs 3112 billion in 2015-16 which further went up last year," he claimed. He said tax receipts of four trillion rupees are expected in current fiscal year, adding debt servicing was also brought down from 37 to 29 percent.