Punjab should provide better environment for women instead of imposing restrictions: Shireen Mazari

• Mazari slams the Punjab government for suggesting restricted timings for women to enter parks.
• Senate Standing Committee on Human Rights reviews progress of Minar-e-Pakistan harassment probe.
• Kenyan high commissioner manhandled on August 14, says Senator Mushahid Hussain Syed.

ISLAMABAD: The Punjab government should provide a better and safer environment for women instead of imposing restrictions on them, Federal Minister for Human Rights Shireen Mazari said on Thursday.

The minister criticised the Punjab government for suggesting restricted timings for women to enter parks during a meeting of the Senate Standing Committee on Human Rights.

The meeting, chaired by Senator Waleed Iqbal, reviewed the progress of the Minar-e-Pakistan harassment investigation.

During the meeting, the Ministry of Human Rights presented a progress report on the probe, stating that human rights violations in the country are constantly monitored.

The report stated that the minister for human rights took notice of the Minar-e-Pakistan incident and ensured the registration of a first information report.

“As many as 141 suspected individuals were taken into custody after which an identification parade was conducted but the victim, Aisha Akram, didn’t appear at the parade,” read the report.

It further stated that Akram appeared at another identification parade, conducted on Wednesday, and identified six suspects.

The suspects identified by Akram were arrested and four special committees have been formed to investigate the case, the report added.

Meanwhile, at the provincial government’s suggestion to restrict timings for women to enter the parks, Mazari said this restriction should be put on the entrance of single men in parks and public spaces, instead.

At this, the standing committee chairman remarked that the suggestion will be approved after the committee’s recommendations.

He suggested Mazari take the matter to the Punjab government.

“We [Ministry of Human Rights] can only inform the provincial government about our recommendations and not pressurise them,” said Mazari in response.

At this, Senator Mushahid Hussain Syed said that the government of Punjab was formed by Mazari’s political party itself.

“Punjab Chief Minister Usman Buzdar is a puppet controlled by Prime Minister Imran Khan,” said Syed.

At this, Mazari responded by saying: "This is what you say, not we."

‘Kenyan high commissioner manhandled on August 14’

Mushahid Hussain Syed informed the meeting that the Kenyan high commissioner told him that she was manhandled at the Lake View Park on August 14 despite being accompanied by her driver and another person.

“People pulled my hair and there was a scuffle,” he quoted the Kenyan high commissioner as saying.

Committee Chairman Iqbal responded by saying that this is a serious matter and only reviewing it cannot be enough.

“This has become a trend and foreign envoys are also falling prey to it,” said Iqbal, adding that Pakistan talks about promoting tourism but who will come here in these circumstances.