RECENTLY Chief Justice Tassaduq Hussain Jilani ordered a wing at human rights cell of the Supreme Court to launch a complaint cell to address the overseas community’s issues in their homeland.

The idea is to address issues of expatriates but it also needs to clear the cloud on its correspondence and feedback loop.

It seeks to safeguard expatriates’ interests in terms of their right to vote, address issues related to frauds by land - grabbers and harassment by their relatives and attorneys in property matters.

Although this idea will be hailed by the overseas community, is the Supreme Court wing equipped to meet the challenges faced by the expatriates via email?

The email address of the complaint cell should be provided. There should be an assurance that the concerns of Pakistani expatriates will be addressed within 24 hours and that too in their homeland.

Will the respective embassy of the country of their domain help in coordination of matters arising as a result of the complaints filed? Will the expatriates have the right to vote in the next elections?

When the entry of the common man in the Supreme Court is restricted, how will overseas Pakistanis convey/share their sorrow when there is no channel specified?

Will a British Muslim woman facing domestic violence be assured that her email will be answered within 24 hours? Will the human rights cell rescue her -– at UK embassy expenses? Will the Supreme Court bear the trial expense of a British Muslim? Will the human rights cell free her property from her husband’s hand?

All these questions must be answered by the authorities concerned before human rights cell makes claims that it would be working in the best interests of the overseas Pakistanis.

Kanwal Abidi

Islamabad