ISLAMABAD: The Senate Standing Committee on Human Rights on Thursday took up the issue of a Turkish family affiliated with the Pak-Turk schools allegedly abducted from Lahore and decided to summon relevant officials of the federal and provincial governments at its next meeting.

The issue was brought up by PPP Senator Farhatullah Babar during the meeting. The senator said the issue of missing citizens has now extended to the disappearance of foreigners as well.

“This calls for immediate parliamentary intervention,” Mr Babar urged the chairperson of the Functional Committee of Human Rights, Muttahida Qaumi Movement Senator Nasreen Jalil.

Members of the committee agreed and suggested that victims’ families should also be invited.

It was decided that in the first instance relevant officials will be asked to brief the committee and provide answers to the questions about some of the facts that had so far been established.

The Turkish family, including two children, were abducted by unknown men in plain clothes on Sept 27.

Senator Babar told Dawn he had also submitted a calling attention notice and a motion on the disappearance of the Mesut Kacmaz family from Lahore.

“The style and manner of kidnapping bears the signatures of all too familiar kidnappings brazenly taking place in the country with alarming impunity,” the notice says.

The Pak-Turkish school network in Pakistan earned state ire in the wake of failed coup in Turkey and witnessed a massive crack down recently.

This background made it even more urgent before a sinister narrative gained currency that the state itself might be involved, it said.

The issue of enforced disappearance was also listed in the agenda of the requisitioned session of Senate on September 10.

Senators Farhatullah Babar and Mohsin Khan Laghari told the committee that the family was picked up by over a dozen armed people in plain clothes, including women, in vehicles with green licence plates. They were hooded and handcuffed and were bundled up in a car and taken away.

Senator Laghari said Pakistan should not become party to the internal political wrangling in Turkey.

“Nonetheless, they have given our children quality education and have done us a huge favour. This case must be taken up,” Senator Laghari said.

The meeting also decided to set up a subcommittee with Senator Sitara Ayaz as convener and Nisar Khan and Mir Kabir Shahi as members to report on the transgender bill while the issue of compensation to Bagram prison affected was deferred to next meeting.

Published in Dawn, October 6th, 2017