HYDERABAD: Federal Minister for Human Rights Ansar Burney on Tuesday visited the house of a teenager, who apparently died of corporal punishment, and called for a post-mortem of the deceased with the permission of the family to ascertain the cause of the death.

The minister told newsmen that he wanted justice to be done with the family of the deceased and he, therefore, personally visited their house to initiate an impartial inquiry into the matter.

The minister said that after listening to the members of the family he came to the conclusion that there had been negligence on the part of the hospital, where Muddasir had been treated, adding the secretary health would be asked to submit a report in this respect.

“I would like to provide justice to the family, and whosoever is responsible for the death of the child would be taken to task,” he said, adding he did not want any innocent person to be punished either.

The minister said the post-mortem of the victim should be conducted with the permission of the family to ascertain the cause of the death.

He also visited the office of the executive district officer, education, and recorded the statement of Buland Iqbal, a teacher, and listened to the views of the School Teachers Association.

Muddasir died on January 10, after being the victim of corporal punishment. Two separate committees of the Hyderabad district are also probing his death.

Talking to media persons, the minister said a summary had been moved to the caretaker prime minister for the formation of National Commission for Human Rights in the country with powers to give punishment to culprits and authority to visit jails and police stations to provide justice to victims.

He hoped the commission would be formed soon, adding the summary had been pending in his ministry since 2004.

The minister said human trafficking was a big problem of the country and dozens of minor girls were being trafficked to the Gulf countries.

About registration of thousands of cases against the people of Sindh after the December 27 incident, he said he would hold a meeting with the caretaker chief minister so that no injustice was done with anyone.

Source: The News
Date:1/16/2008