Senate Body Rebukes Lahore CCPO Over Controversial Remarks About Motorway Incident Victim

The Senate's Committee on Overseas Pakistanis and Human Resource Development (OP&HRD) Thursday rebuked Lahore Capital City Police Officer (CCPO) Umer Sheikh over his controversial remarks regarding the Sialkot-Lahore Motorway rape incident victim

ISLAMABAD, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 1st Oct, 2020 ) :The Senate's Committee on Overseas Pakistanis and Human Resource Development (OP&HRD) Thursday rebuked Lahore Capital City Police Officer (CCPO) Umer Sheikh over his controversial remarks regarding the Sialkot-Lahore Motorway rape incident victim.

"Since the victim woman was an overseas Pakistani, this committee condemns the CCPO's remarks, which have hurt the sentiments of entire Pakistani diaspora abroad," Senator Hilal-ur-Rehman observed while chairing the meeting here at the Parliament Lodges.

The CCPO had reportedly expressed surprise over the woman's decision of travelling on a deserted route at late night, besides not checking her vehicle's fuel prior to the journey.

Senator Shaheen Khalid Butt said the overseas Pakistanis had been voicing their concern in the wake of the incident and two expatriate families had already cancelled their visit to the country.

He underlined the need of informing the expats about secure routes and roads prior to their visit to the country. The Overseas Pakistanis Foundation (OPF) should post such information on its website.

Secretary OP&HRD Dr�Muhammad Hashim Popalzai agreed to the suggestion and assured the committee that the protocols for expats would be placed on the OPF's website, while such information was already posted on the website of the Ministry of Aviation.

He, however, warned that such initiative might scare the overseas Pakistanis or foreigners, who had been planning to visit the country for tourism.

Senator Butt insisted," The initiative is aimed at not to scare them but to put them on comfort." Senator Muhammad Ayub, however, repudiated the suggestion and said before taking such step, it must be kept in mind that the tourism promotion was the government's priority.

The committee also took a briefing from the officials of Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) and Employees' Old-Age Benefits Institution (EOBI) regarding the EOBI's properties in litigation.

The FIA official informed the committee that many years ago, the Supreme Court had taken suo motu of a matter, pertaining to the purchase of some 18 properties by the then EOBI management at exorbitant prices. The apex court, however, had cleared two of them.

He said the court had asked the EOBI to decide whether it was keen to retain the properties or wanted to take its money back along with compound interest.

The EOBI official told the committee that it had decided to retain some properties and sought recovery of the principle amount along with the interest for the rest.

The committee, after taking briefing from the FIA and EOBI officials, decided to write a letter to the apex court for wrapping up the matter at the earliest as it involved huge money that could be utilized for the welfare of pensioners.