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ISLAMABAD: The government and the opposition on Friday agreed on the need to revamp the criminal justice system to ensure that criminals do not go scot-free while taking advantage of loopholes in the law.
Opening the discussion in the Senate on an adjournment motion about the violent mob attack against Sri Lankan citizen Priyantha Kumara, PML-N parliamentary leader Senator Azam Nazir Tarar said revamping and reforming the criminal justice system was need of the hour, observing that severity of punishment would never deter crimes.
Noting that it was not possible to punish those behind complicated criminal cases involving circumstantial evidence under the existing justice system and laws, he warned of horrible consequences of giving clean chit to murderers after holding talks with them.
“Where is the National Action Plan (NAP). Why it is not being implemented?” he asked.
Mr Tarar said gaps in the law must be bridged by setting aside political differences and expediting cues. Citing various incidents of violent extremism and mob justice, he said none of the criminals involved in these cases had been penalised in the recent past, with the exception of the rapist and killer of innocent Zainab.
Senate unanimously adopts resolution condemning violent mob attack, killing of Sri Lankan citizen in Sialkot
Leader of the House in the Senate Dr Shahzad Wasim said a minority group was making efforts to make hostage the entire society and law in the country.
He said revisiting the NAP and addressing its shortcomings were need of the hour, adding that if there was a need for more legislation it was a responsibility of parliament. He said extremism had a history and religious extremism in the country emerged in the 1980s and existed even today.
Former Senate chairman Mian Raza Rabbani, while speaking on the motion, said the Pakistani state had been historically supporting rightwing religious parties and militant groups in furtherance of its internal political agenda and external political doctrine.
The PPP senator said the state had countered democratic and nationalist political movements by giving patronage to extremist right-wing forces, adding that it countered linguistic and culture diversity through an imported Arab culture.
“As a consequence Pakistan became a state in search of its moorings, moving from one extremism to another,” he remarked.
Mr Rabbani said a lawyer who believed in constitutionalism could not practise it while academicians were denied the right of academic freedom and the people were not given their right to political dissent. He said a judge who authored a judgement against these forces was made an example by the state. “And all these people end up as missing persons.”
The PPP senator said militant groups challenged the writ of the state through violence and the state just watched helplessly. He said Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) groups based in Afghanistan were reuniting, backed by transnational militant groups, and feared that this would give rise to religious extremism in Pakistan.
He said reports also suggested that Al Qaeda militants resided along the border with Pakistan.
“In such a situation, democratic polity and institutions functioning under the Constitution are being marginalised, giving rise to fascism, the breakdown of the writ of the state and a different family of warlords emerging who are free from state control or pledge allegiance to the state on their terms and conditions.
“The state can no longer afford to enter into clandestine agreements with forces such as TTP and TLP (Tehreek-i-Labbaik Pakistan),” he said.
Mr Rabbani said political parties had been used as a mask and parliament as a tool, but added that the state would have to be answerable to parliament.
Noting that it was a constitutional right of every citizen to be aware and be a part of the decision-making concerning the future course of the state, he said parliament was the fulcrum for such decision-making.
Senator Irfan Siddiqui of the PML-N sought to know the details of talks with the TTP, asking as to who was negotiating with whom, where the talks were taking place and who was facilitating these.
Many senators in their speeches said the tendency of religious extremism could only be effectively curbed if the state stopped patronising extremist groups.
Unanimous resolution
The Senate also unanimously adopted a resolution condemning the shameful act of violent mob attack and killing of Sri Lankan citizen Priyantha Kumara in Sialkot.
The house reiterated that extremism was condemnable in all its forms and manifestations.
The house said the unfortunate incident of gruesome brutality reflected the mindset of extremist elements that “exist in our society, which has not only tarnished the peaceful image of Pakistan but also Islam”.
“This brutality is in sheer violation of the spirit, principles, teachings and injunctions of Islam, the practices of the Holy Prophet (peace be upon him), morale and human values, Constitution and law of Pakistan and customs and norms of Pakistani society,” the resolution said.
The house expressed its profound concern over the existence of such intolerant tendencies in society and recommended discouraging the occurrence and recurrence of such gruesome incidents in the name of protesting the desecration of religion, which actually were against the very spirit and teachings of Islam.
“The government should take immediate administrative, legal and awareness measures for eradication and countering of violent tendencies in society,” it said.
The house demanded immediate punishment of not only the culprits involved in instigating and killing Priyantha Kumara but also all those involved in similar violent incidents in the past.
Adviser to the Prime Minister on Finance Shaukat Tarin, who had recently been elected senator on a seat vacated for him, was administered the oath of office by Senate Chairman Sadiq Sanjrani.