ISLAMABAD: A Senate panel on Monday expressed alarm over the deteriorating law and order situation in Sindh, Balochistan, and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

As the Senate Standing Committee on Interior and Narcotics Control met here with Senator Faisal Saleem Rehman in the chair, some senators voicing concern over law and order situation suggested that the relevant authorities of the provinces be summoned by the committee.

Interior Secretary Muhammad Khurram Agha assured support for conducting meetings in the provinces. Senator Shahadat Awan of PPP, however, stressed that law and order was a devolved subject and it was not the job of the committee to oversee matters related to the provinces.

He, however, noted that the federal government can take up the matter with the provinces.

Highlights increasing crime ratio in ICT and fake calls received by senators

Senator Rehman said that people have lost their loved ones at the hands of this menace and still “we are reminded of the 18th Amendment when the issue was highlighted in the committee”.

He reiterated that the committee would have a detailed discussion on the issue as the lives of millions of people are at stake and the issue has now become a national issue.

The committee highlighted the increasing crime ratio in ICT and fake calls received by senators.

ICT Inspector General Syed Nasir Ali Rizvi apprised the committee that the gang involved in fake calls had been arrested, and it was found during the investigation that the accused used True Caller and Eyeon to make such calls. The committee appreciated the efforts of the IG in tackling the matter efficiently.

Furthermore, the committee unanimously passed two bills — the Pakistan Penal Code (Amendment) Bill, 2024, and the Criminal Laws (Amendment) Bill, 2024.

Senator Mohsin Aziz, the mover of the Pakistan Penal Code Bill, stated that the bill aims to increase penalties for rape offenders with the intent of rooting out this menace from society.

However, Senator Samina Mumtaz Zehri said that the Criminal Laws Bill aimed to prevent the heinous crime of Necrophilia and proposed severe punishment for the offence.

Additionally, the committee discussed several other bills moved by the senators. The committee deferred these bills owing to the interior and law divisions’ delayed and opaque response. The bills included the Control of Narcotics Substances (Amendment) Bill, 2024, moved by Senator Mohsin Aziz.

The Code of Criminal Procedure (Amendment) Bill, 2024, was moved by Senator Fawzia Arshad, the Societies Registration (Amendment) Bill, 2025, by Minister for Law and Justice Senator Azam Nazir Tarar on behalf of Minister for Interior Mohsin Naqvi, the Shamilat Land Protection Bill, 2024, by Senator Palwasha Muhammad Zai Khan, the Price Control and Prevention of Profiteering and Hoarding (Amendment) Bill, 2024, by Senator Mohsin Aziz and the Anti-Terrorism (Amendment) Bill, 2024, by Senator Palwasha Muhammad Zai Khan.

The committee was also briefed on the workings of the Gilgit-Baltistan Scouts.

Officials informed the committee that the GB Scouts had been primarily tasked with the protection of Diamer-Bhasha Dam and Chinese nationals working on the dam. However, in addition to these tasks, GB Scouts engage with the youth and make necessary endeavours for the provision of health and education to the residents.

The committee acknowledged the efforts of the GB Scouts in maintaining law and order and extended support to their future initiatives. While discussing the unprecedented increase in drugs use in academic institutions, the ANF DG highlighted the efforts of the force in uprooting this menace.

He said provinces’ coordination is incumbent in making institutions drug free. The chairman of the committee acknowledged the efforts of ANF DG and extended committee’s support in controlling this menace.

Published in Dawn, March 11th, 2025