Delay in compensation for seafarers’ families alarms Senate committee

Islamabad: The Senate Functional Committee on Human Rights voiced worry over delays in compensation for the families of Pakistani seafarers impacted by a hostage situation off Somalia's coast. The panel, led by Senator Samina Mumtaz Zehri, also examined cybercrime, crypto-currency scams, fraudulent investment schemes and the spread of harmful content targeting children on social media platforms.

Addressing the issue of the seafarers, the committee requested updates from officials regarding the crew's release, the repatriation of a deceased seafarer's remains, medical care for injured crew members and financial aid to impacted families. Arif Haroon, Director of the Shipping Wing, updated the committee on the incident, explaining that talks were underway among the ship owner, the recruitment agency and parties with insurance coverage concerning compensation disbursements.

Senator Quratul Ain Marri inquired about the federal government's aid to families of deceased seafarers. Zehri instructed authorities to provide a full record of crew salaries, medical care and financial payments from April to September, and to verify reports of Prime Minister Imran Khan's promise of financial assistance, including the amount disbursed.

The chairperson emphasized that insurance procedures and disputes should not lead to undue delays in payments to the affected families. She demanded a detailed report on compensation, medical services and aid given to the victims. Concern was also expressed over the rising number of cybercrimes, ransomware attacks, cryptocurrency frauds and investment schemes with unrealistically high returns.

Members questioned delays in registering complaints and finishing investigations, fraudulent calls, misuse of WhatsApp accounts and personal data, dubious bank accounts and the believed unauthorized use of SIM cards. The chairperson called for definite schedules for complaint processing and a means to keep victims informed about their case status.

She also asked relevant agencies to give trustworthy statistics on investigations, money recovery and legal proceedings against suspects. Officials told the committee that suspicious accounts had been frozen in certain instances, while money recovery and return were being handled in line with court orders and relevant laws. The committee also looked into complaints involving individuals duped by companies and consultants offering overseas education, study visas and job prospects.

The chairperson demanded verification of the legal standing of consultancy firms and strict action against those involved in fraud. The committee criticized the absence of representatives from the Higher Education Commission and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, particularly as the discussion covered complaints linked to overseas admissions and visa procedures.