ISLAMABAD   -  The Senate Standing Committee on Interior on Thursday unanimously adopted a resolution condemning “barbaric and brutal” lynching of Sri Lankan national Diyawadanage Priyantha Kumara in Sialkot on the alleged charges of blasphemy.  

The committee which met under the chair of Senator Mohsin Aziz expressed grief and sorrow over the incident and offered condolences to the family of the victim. The lawmakers also recognised and appreciated the “moral courage and bravery” of Malik Adnan, an employee in the same factory where Kumara worked as a manager, who tried to shelter and save the victim from violent mob endangering his own life. 

The committee after due deliberations also approved the Provincial Motor Vehicles (Amendment) Bill that was earlier introduced by Senator Mohsin Aziz in the Senate. The bill enhances punishment and fine for those driving vehicle under the influence of alcohol or some other drug and will only be applicable in the jurisdiction of Islamabad Capital Territory. 

Chairman Committee Senator Aziz told the committee that another house committee has already approved such a bill that has the jurisdiction of national highways. The bill proposes Rs25,000 fine and an imprisonment of up to six months or both for first time offenders and the fine would be extended up to Rs50,000 or an imprisonment between six months to two years would be awarded or both for second time offenders. 

The committee also considered the Pakistan Penal Code (Amendment) Bill that was earlier moved by Senator Ms Saadia Abbasi in the house. The officials from Ministry of Law and Justice informed the committee that the bill proposes amendments in the law to criminalise “custodial torture and deaths” and a similar government-sponsored proposed law was lying pending before the National Assembly Standing Committee on Interior.  

The additional secretary of the Ministry of Interior was of the view that the bill introduced by Senator Abbasi seeks amendments in general law, while the government bill is a special law which is more “holistic in nature and covers almost every amendment proposed in the private member bill.  He told the committee that special law always prevails over the general law.  

The mover Senator Abbasi stressed that the bill proposes amendments in the Pakistan Penal Code (PPC), 1860 while the government has proposed a special law. The bill says that exiting provisions in PPC stipulate penalties for certain acts of torture under related laws but these provisions are either “vague or not comprehensive enough to be used for criminalising torture or custodial deaths.” 

The chair deferred the bill till the special proposed law is approved by National Assembly and sent to Senate for approval.  

Senator Saifullah Abro expressed his serious reservations regarding law and order situation in Sindh. He referred to multiple cases of murder in Jacobabad, Shikarpur and Larkana districts.  

The chair directed the Sindh police chief and other officers from these districts to make sure their presence in the next committee meeting. “If the concerned officers do not appear before the committee, we will recommend that they should be suspended from their service until the proper inquiry is done in the cases,” he remarked.