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NA human rights body for early release of Dr Aafia

By Irfan Bukhari

ISLAMABAD: The National Assembly Standing Committee on Human Rights on Thursday adopted a unanimous resolution demanding early release of Dr Aafia Siddiqui from US detention.

The committee decided that Dr Aafia’s sister, Fauzia Siddiqui, would be invited in the next meeting to share details of her sister’s case. It also considered sending a delegation of selected members of the committee to the US to meet Dr Aafia.

Dr Aafia’s detention, madrassa reforms, performance of the National Police Bureau (NPB), low literacy rate and a review of the report of the committee’s sub-body on the presence of American private security firm Blackwater in the country were discussed in the meeting. The committee reviewed the NPB’s performance and expressed concern over non-implementation of the Police Order, 2002.

Committee member Yasmeen Rehman said the body had decided that education for every child would be designated as a basic human right, as in India. “Every child has the right to education. It is a constitutional right in our country, while in India, it is considered a basic right,” she said.

She said a sub-committee would be constituted to take up the matter with the Education Ministry. “The same sub-committee will also propose madrassa reforms in collaboration with the ministries of education and interior,” she added.

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