KABUL - Second Vice President, Sarwar Danesh in a meeting with members of a body fighting against torturing detainees, here yesterday said that the government in cooperation with civil society and human rights entities would soon launch national anti-torture program to check torture in prisons.

He said that the government had taken serious the report of UNAMA on torturing detainees by judiciary, adding the government is committed to respect human rights as an obligatory.

“We have law on checking prisoners’ torture but it is not so fair,” Danesh said, adding therefore it is necessary to have specific bodies in cooperation with civil society and human right entities to check torture.

The body in the meeting stressed for improving human rights situation in Afghanistan.

According to another report, Danesh in the meeting of the cultural committee of the cabinet discussed the problems of BNA and it was stated that the proposal for reviewing the structure of the body, its professionalism and ensuring coordination among press offices of the government and their wages were discussed and approved. The BNA was tasked to prepare a draft for amending the wage of its employees and present it to the next meeting.

In the meeting it was decided to prepare a law for checking begging and providing social support to the beggars.

The ministry for works, social affairs, martyrs and disabled was assigned to prepare the law in coordination with concerned bodies and present it to the next meeting. (BNA)