ISLAMABAD, Jan 09 (INP): The Senate Human Rights Committee which met Tuesday expressed grave concern over reports of Presidential pardon to the Rangers personnel convicted of the 2011 murder of a young boy Sarfraz terming it as a cruel joke. The meeting chaired by Senator Nasreen Jalil was attended by Senators Karim Khawaja, Mufti Abdul Sattar, Nisar Muhammad Khan, Samina Abid, Sehar Kamran and Rubina Khalid. Minister for Human Rights, Secretary H R and other officials were also present. The issue came up when Senator Farhatullah Babar asked for permission to discuss 'any other item with the permission of chairperson' after the conclusion of agenda. "This is an unacceptable affront to the human rights of victims and their families. It is a license to uniformed personnel to brandish guns and kill innocent people at will and with impunity" he said. Official sources quoted in the media reports lent it credibiity, he said. It is not easy to erase the images of a terrified Sarfaraz Shah beseeching his innocence with folded hands and the sadistic pleasure writ on the face of the shooter. The shameful images will continue to shake conscious even in a distant age and distant clime and long after all characters involved had vanished, he said. A Presidential pardon to the criminals will only make the shameful images as horrifying also and a cruel joke with the victims and their families, he said. Farhatullah Babar said that pardon without consent of the victims, will further embolden the LEAs to take law into their hands at will and with impunity. It will be a monumental pity if President Mamnoon left behind a highly dubious legacy; that 'criminals and convicts who once wore uniform are a breed apart from criminals who have never worn uniform'. This legacy will turn the already broken criminal justice system on its head, he warned. All member of the Committee invited by the Chairperson to express views strongly condemned the move and demanded that a powerful message be sent across in the form of a unanimous resolution against pardoning the criminals. The Minister for Human Rights endorsed the sentiments of the members saying also that the subject is dealt with by the Interior ministry and that he will take it up with the Interior. INP/AK