ISLAMABAD: Bitter relations between the heads of the National Assembly Standing Committee on Human Rights and the National Commission on Human Rights (NCHR) have harmed the working of the rights watchdog.

NCHR Chairman retired Justice Ali Nawaz Chohan acknowledged that because of the continuous tension it had become difficult for him to concentrate on his basic responsibility of protecting human rights.

On the other hand, the chairman of the NA committee, Babar Nawaz Khan, said he did not have any personal grudge with Mr Chohan but it was his duty to ensure merit in the commission.

The tussle between the heads of the NCHR and the parliamentary committee started last year when Mr Babar announced to take action against mafias involved in human organ trafficking.

A meeting of the committee was convened in Lahore to discuss the issue but the chairman NCHR could not attend it because of his wife’s illness.

Chairman NA committee on human rights has been critical of NCHR head since the latter did not attend a meeting last year

Later, another meeting of the committee was held in Islamabad. But as the meeting started Mr Babar asked the NCHR chairman to leave. When the matter reached the office of the speaker National Assembly, Mr Babar had to apologise. However, since then at almost every meeting of the committee on the NCHR the chairman has spoken against the commission head.

During a meeting held on May 11, in which Mr Chohan did not participate because of health issues, Mr Babar spent most of the time criticising him.

Mr Babar alleged that a new vehicle provided to Mr Chohan had run 1,200 kilometres without registration. He said an employee of Islamabad Club was hired by the NCHR against rules and that the commission head was spending money from the exchequer on his foreign visits.

He said 14 questions relating to alleged irregularities were sent to the NCHR but Mr Chohan did not bother to reply. Mr Babar also said despite directions of the committee not to appoint any employee, a number of inductions had been made in the commission. He also said a lawyer was appointed in the commission at Rs50,000 salary and another for the same job was hired for Rs150,000 per month.

Mr Babar told Dawn that though he did not have any personal grudge with Mr Chohan, the tension started when the latter did not bother to attend the meeting of the committee to discuss illegal human organ transplants in Lahore.

“I wanted to conduct raids on hospitals. Though Mr Chohan initially agreed but later said he did not have the mandate to do so,” he said.

The NA committee chairman said though he asked Mr Chohan to leave the meeting room out of anger, he apologised to him later.

“But Mr Chohan started sending letters to different offices against me and also told some diplomats that there was a murder case against me. As a result, I moved a privilege motion against him because there is no such FIR against me.”

Mr Babar said the NCHR sent shadow reports to the United Nations contrary to the reports of the government.

When contacted, Mr Chohan said because of the continuous tussle the performance of the commission was affected.

“My role is to protect human rights and summon department heads. I cannot raid any hospital or other places. Unfortunately, Mr Babar is taking advantage of his seat. During the last two years I prepared 13 reports on important issues such as honour killings, blasphemy, organ trade, transgender people, marginalised segments, Okara military harm houses, Fata etc,” he said.

“We frequently get letters from the NA standing committee on human rights. Though we reply to the letters our precious time is wasted and our performance suffers,” he said.

“There is also a Senate Standing Committee on Human Rights but we never had any problem with it.”

About the allegations, he said as per law he was bound to submit shadow reports to the UN. In a shadow report it was mentioned that Pakistan did not have the definition of torture in its law. How can we say that there is no torture in the country?

“The employee of Islamabad Club is a waiter. I have hired him because diplomats and foreign dignitaries visit my office and there should be someone who should know how to serve a coffee. One of the two lawyers is a simple LLB but the other is a barrister so there is a difference in their salaries,” he said.

“The vehicle, a jeep, has run for over 1,100 km during the last six months which means around 200 km a month. We visit places of different incidents such Mardan where Mashal Khan was killed over alleged blasphemy,” he said.

Published in Dawn, May 14th, 2017