NA passes Zainab Alert, Response and Recovery Bill, 2019 against child abuse

National Assembly today passed the Zainab Alert, Response and Recovery Bill, 2019. Moved by Minister for Human Rights Shireen Mazari, the bill envisages establishment of Zainab Alert, Response and Recovery Agency (ZARRA) where child missing case will be reported and it will generate an automatic alert.

Other bills passed by the House included: Letters of Administration and Succession Certificates Bill, the Legal Aid and Justice Authority Bill, Enforcement of Women’s Property Rights Bill the Superior Courts (Court Dress and Mode of Address) Order (Repeal) Bill and ICT Rights of Persons with Disability Bill.

Responding to a calling attention notice in the House, Minister for Human Rights Shireen Mazari said a national action plan has been prepared against child abuse and molestation which will be launched before the end of this month.                  

She said a registry of convicted sexual offenders is also being prepared with the cooperation of FIA.  

Regarding the latest incident of child abuse in Manshera, the Minister for Human Rights said the provincial government has taken a strict notice of despicable incident.

The movers of the calling attention notice demanded strict action against those involved in heinous acts of child abuse.

Responding to calling attention notice, Minister for Power Umer Ayub said government is taking action against power pilferage. 

He regretted that the previous governments did not pay any attention to check the power theft which resulted in increase of line losses.

Taking the floor, PML (N) leader demanded the government to constitute a judicial commission to determine the facts in the narcotics case against him.

Responding to PML (N) leader’s remarks, Minister for Communications Murad Saeed said Anti-Narcotics Force is an independent and credible institution but regretted that the institution was targeted after the bail of Rana Sanaullah in the narcotics case. 

He recalled that allegations of murder as well as connections with proscribed outfits against Rana Sanaullah were not levelled by PTI but the members of his own party. 

He said the PTI believes in rule of law and justice and the Minister of State Shehryar Afridi will himself brief the house about the case of Rana Sanaullah.

The House will now meet on Monday at four pm.