ISLAMABAD: The Senate referred on Thursday the issue of killing by security forces of 13 suspected perpetrators of the last week’s Turbat carnage to the house committee on human rights after opposition senators termed it “extra-judicial killings”.

Senate Chairman Raza Rabbani referred the matter to the committee on a motion moved by PPP’s Farhatullah Babar after Minister of State for Interior Balighur Rehman avoided giving an assurance that a judicial inquiry would be held in the incident.

Mr Babar said the state was resorting to the tactics adopted by militants and lawless elements. “Were those killed in the operation the real attackers,” he asked.

Jahanzeb Jamaldini of the Balochistan National Party (Mengal) claimed that some of those killed by security forces used wheel-chairs. He demanded formation of a judicial commission to investigate the incident.

Later, the senators took part in a debate on the annual report of the Council of Common Interests (CII) for 2012-13 which was presented by Minister for Inter-Provincial Coordination Riaz Pirzada on Tuesday.

A majority of the senators criticised the CCI for its alleged failure to remove the sense of deprivation among the smaller provinces with regard to fair distribution of natural resources like water, oil and gas.

The senators called for setting up of a secretariat of the CCI and expressed their concern over the delay in convening its meetings.

In his winding up speech, Riaz Pirzada said he had noted down concerns of the senators and would discuss them in his ministry next week.

Earlier, the house passed Securities Bill 2015 and referred four other bills to the Senate’s standing committees for deliberation.

Published in Dawn, April 17th, 2015

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