Punjab prosecution admits wrong crime figures

Islamabad: The Senate Functional Committee on Human Rights questioned Punjab prosecution authorities over conflicting figures on conviction rates and a reported rise in crimes against children. Chairperson Senator Samina Mumtaz Zehri demanded accurate facts and figures from the province.

The issue arose during a meeting of the committee chaired by Senator Samina Mumtaz Zehri, where Senator Aimal Wali Khan and Senator Qurat ul Ain Marri were also present. The Prosecutor General Punjab, who was representing the Punjab Government and Punjab Prosecution Department, briefed the committee on criminal cases, sentencing and prosecution procedures.

The Prosecutor General Punjab said there had been an alarming increase in reports of crimes against children during the past year. He said the rise could be linked both to more incidents and to greater reporting by people who believed they could get help from the system. The committee then questioned whether the increase in reported crime was also being matched by higher conviction rates.

The meeting became tense when different figures were discussed regarding convictions in Punjab. A figure of 14 per cent was mentioned, while another figure in the report was said to be 2.16 per cent. Senator Samina Mumtaz Zehri strongly objected to the confusion and said that saying the figure could be wrong was not an acceptable answer from an official responsible for providing information to Parliament.

The Prosecutor General Punjab later acknowledged that he had given an incorrect figure and withdrew the 50 per cent claim that had been mentioned during the discussion. The committee expressed concern over the difference between the figures and the need for reliable information before Parliament.

The Committee expressed grave dissatisfaction with the Punjab government’s prosecution response regarding the killing of Javid Rasheed, taking serious notice of misleading statements. Senator Aimal Wali observed that official misstatements effectively protect perpetrators. In response, the Chair directed Punjab government officials to re-examine relevant statutory provisions and move immediately to terminate the bail granted to the accused. Furthermore, the Committee directed IG Punjab to establish continuous coordination with the prosecutor’s office to ensure vigilant oversight.

Another major issue discussed was punishment in rape cases. The Prosecutor General Punjab told the committee that Pakistan had signed international agreements and that, in practice, the death penalty was not being carried out despite courts continuing to award death sentences. He said the last execution in a rape case was believed to have taken place in 2019.

He said Pakistan should consider changing the law for rape cases because life imprisonment generally means 15 years, while some other laws provide a 25 year period for life imprisonment without remission. He suggested that rape convicts should also be placed in a category where remission is not allowed. Senator Samina Mumtaz Zehri agreed with the proposal and said she had previously raised the issue with Senator Azam Nazeer Tarar, who is also the Minister for Law and Human Rights.

The committee also discussed the role of prosecution in criminal cases. Senator Samina Mumtaz Zehri raised strong concerns over the conduct of prosecution in some cases and questioned whether the system was properly supporting victims and pursuing convictions. She referred during the discussion to cases including that of Noor Mukadam and another case involving Javed Rasheed. These remarks were made during the committee discussion and do not by themselves establish wrongdoing by any person or institution.

In response, the Prosecutor General Punjab said his department had created a special cell to deal with gender based violence cases. He said cases considered serious were declared high profile and personally monitored by senior prosecution officials. He added that guidelines had been issued to investigators and prosecutors on evidence, witnesses and the handling of difficult cases.

According to the Prosecutor General Punjab, the prosecution department issued comprehensive standard procedures in 2024 for such cases. He said the purpose was to improve the chances of securing convictions by ensuring better investigation, forensic evidence and preparation of witnesses before they appeared in court.

The committee’s discussion highlighted a wider concern over whether reported increases in crimes against children are being matched by effective action through the justice system. Senator Samina Mumtaz Zehri said Parliament needed clear and correct figures from provincial authorities instead of conflicting numbers.