ISLAMABAD
According to a press release issued by the National Assembly Secretariat, A meeting of the Standing Committee on Parliamentary Affairs was held on Tuesday under the Chairmanship of Mr. Rana Iradat Sharif Khan, MNA, in old PIPS Hall, Parliament Lodges, Islamabad.
2. The Secretary, Ministry of Parliamentary Affairs informed the Committee that for the swift resolution of public grievances, it is essential to integrate the Prime Minister’s Public Affairs and Grievances Wing, Pakistan Citizen Portal (PCP) with the Chief Ministers’ grievance system and the grievance mechanisms of Gilgit-Baltistan (GB) and Azad Jammu & Kashmir (AJK). This integration is crucial to ensure the timely and effective redressal of public concerns.
3. The Secretary, Ministry of Human Rights briefed the Standing Committee that the Section 3 of Zainab Alert Response and Recovery Act, 2020 mandates the creation of the Zainab Alert, Response and Recovery Agency (ZARRA) to ensure a prompt and effective response to address the crucial issue of child missing children . ZARRA has established a toll-free helpline, 1099, where legal advisors and officers offer free legal assistance and coordinate administrative measures to facilitate the safe return of missing children. The Secretary also informed the Committee that, to date, 4,591 cases of missing children have been reported, with 3,869 cases successfully closed, while 722 cases remain open.
4. The Committee recommended that ZARRA should collaborate with provincial authorities to develop effective strategies for expediting cases of missing children. Additionally, it emphasized the need for sensitizing police departments across Pakistan to ensure the timely and regular sharing of data with the Agency.
5. The meeting was attended by MNAs Mr. Raja Qamar-ul-Islam, Mr. Mahmood Bashir Virk, Mr. Naveed Aamir, Ms Nikhat Shakeet Khan, Mr. Sahibzada Sibghatullah, Mr. Ali Muhammad and Mr. Hameed Hussain. Secretary, Ministry of Parliamentary Affairs, Secretary Ministry of Human Rights, Senior Officers from PMDU and other senior officers of the Ministries also attended the meeting.
