ISLAMABAD: Senate Standing Committee on Interior on Monday expressed its concerns over growing population of stray dogs in the capital.

The committee, which met here with Senator Mohsin Aziz in the chair, discussed various agenda items, including stray dogs in Sector D-12 and increasing incidents of dog bite, causing problems to the residents especially the senior citizens, women and children.

The committee took up the stray dogs issue on petitions filed by citizens to senate chairman. They in their petitions, contended that the CDA be asked to speed up their operation against stray dogs. They also requested the senate chairman to look into the court decision banning killing of stray dogs.

The ministry officials told the meeting that stray dogs have been kept in dog centres and around 22,000 dogs have been treated and 1,200 dogs have been released after treatment. However the committee was of the view that treatment and having them exposed again to public is not an appropriate solution.

The committee members reiterated that although the committee respects animals’ rights, human life is more important it cannot put to threat hence proper measures should be taken to eradicate stray dogs.

The committee chairman before deferring the matter till next meeting, recommended to initiating awareness campaigns and increasing dog centres.

The committee also took up an issue raised by Senator Asad Ali Khan in Senate last month regarding the irregular and disorganised speed limits on various roads of Islamabad Capital Territory causing confusion and problems for the commuters.

He had pleaded that speed limits required to be regularised and rationalised. This agenda was deferred, however the committee chairman reiterated that road speed limits may be rationalised area-wise and authority concerned may be approached to display the upgraded road speed limits.

While taking up further consideration of bill to amend the Pakistan Penal Code, 1860 and the Code of Criminal Procedure, 1898 (The Criminal Laws (Amendment) Bill, 2023) (Insertion of new section 277A in PPC and subsequent amendment in Schedule-ll of CrPC) introduced by Senator Seemee Ezdi on January 16, 2023. The bill was examined and unanimously passed by increasing the penalty on those who foul the rivers, canals and streams by Rs500,000 in the first instance and Rs100,000 on repeating the crime.

The committee took up a bill to amend the Easements Act, 1882 [The Easements (Amendment) Bill, 2023) introduced by Senator Seemi Ezdi.

The bill was deferred with recommendations to hold meetings with the ICT and ministry of Interior to further examine the bill to amend or enact laws pertaining to ground water management and regulation that are in like with the public trust doctrine, as set out under the Act.

Similarly Bill further to amend the Pakistan Penal Code, 1860, the Code of Criminal Procedure, 1898 and the Qanun-i-Shahadat Order, 1984 [The Criminal Laws (Amendment) Bill 2022) introduced by Senator Rana Maqbool Ahmad on January 16, 2023 was also deferred.

While discussing a public petition No. 5055 regarding Nisar Ahmed Penezai former assistant director who was removed from services against charges of illegal processing of multiple CNICs of suspected aliens and requested for reinstatement in service.

The committee after hearing the case in detail requested Nadra to re-hear the case of the petitioner and treat it on humanitarian ground.

Published in Dawn, February 28th, 2023