ISLAMABAD, June 16: The Senate on Thursday referred to its standing committee on human rights the issue of cases registered against opposition lawmakers of the Sindh Assembly. The cases were referred to the committee after senators of Peoples Party Parliamentarians (PPP) alleged a ‘reign of terror’ had been let loose in Sindh to rig the forthcoming local bodies’ elections.

The issue came before the Senate after State Minister for Interior Dr Shahzad Waseem, on being asked by the chair, informed the house about the details of the cases registered against PPP MPA Zahid Bhurgari under section 7-D of the Anti-Terrorism Act, three of the Explosives Act 1997 and 427 of the PPC.

The minister said according to the report received from the Sindh home department, the court had given seven-day remand of the MPA.

When the PPP senators demanded that the issue of the MPAs incriminated under ‘false charges’ should be referred to the committee, ruling party’s chief whip Kamil Ali Agha said the chair could not pass a ruling without hearing the minister.

Presiding officer Khalid Ranjha observed that the minister was apologetic on the case, an observation which was contested by the minister on the grounds that he had narrated the facts provided to him.

Mr Ranjha rejected the objections of Dr Waseem and Mr Agha after hearing the arguments of leader of the opposition Senator Raza Rabbani and Senator Dr Safdar Abbasi.

The PPP senators said the provincial government had abused the anti-terrorism law by registering false cases against MPA Bhurgari.

Mr Rabbani placed on the Senate record a report of the district police officer Jamshoro to prove how a ‘false and fabricated case’ had been registered against the MPA.

He said the MPA had been with him and had spoke at a public meeting of trade union activists on the date of the incident, pertaining to the case, but police had arrested him on concocted charges.

Giving details of cases registered against the MPAs, Mr Rabbani said earlier MPA Ghulam Qadir Chandio had been arrested on false charges and cases had been registered against MPAs Shamim Ara Punhwar and Humaira Alwani.

Senator Abbassi said Mr Bhurgari had been blindfolded and handcuffed when presented before a court, and alleged police had been acting under the directives of its political masters.

He said eight people had been arrested from the constituency of Sindh Chief Minister Arbab Ghulam Rahim under false charges, including human rights activist Jam Saqi, his wife and PPP activist Mohammad Khan Lund.

The minister came under fire from the chair on the issue of alleged violation of human rights of a lady doctor namely Raheela by security forces at a toll plaza.

Giving details of the incident, the minister admitted the clothes of Dr Raheela and the security forces officials had been torn in the incident.