National Assembly: Pakistan not to bow to US on Davis trial

Top officials make another attempt to assure parliament that the government will not bow to pressure on Davis' case.

ISLAMABAD: Top administration officials on Tuesday made another attempt to assure the parliament that the government will not bow to pressure and will seek a fair trial of the American who killed two Pakistanis last week.

Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gilani and two of his cabinet colleagues remained tightlipped on the diplomatic status of Raymond Davis, the accused who shot dead two young men last Thursday in Lahore.

The US embassy in Islamabad and the State Department in Washington has been pushing for immediate release of Davis, who they claim has diplomatic immunity under an international convention.

Information Minister Qamar Zaman Kaira urged parliamentarians in the National Assembly to trust the government on the ongoing investigation. Kaira said that the parliamentarians must trust ‘clear statements’ by both the president and the prime minister.  “What kind of assurance do you want?” he asked after some members continued to raise doubts about the case.

Khawaja Saad Rafiq of Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) demanded a categorical statement from the government on the issue.  Referring to some media reports, he said the centre should not give an impression to foreigners that Punjab government was the stumbling block in the release of Davis.

Dr Attia Inyatullah of PML-Quaid asked the government not to surrender, saying: “After attacking us through drones, the Americans have resorted to killing us in our own cities. Pakistanis are not born to die for nothing.”

National Assembly bills

The National Assembly also passed a private bill aimed at giving parliamentarians representation on the board of the privatisation commission. The bill moved by PML-Q’s Dr Donya Aziz, envisages an increase in the number of commission members from 16 to 20 by including two members each from the National Assembly and the Senate. The members will be from both the government and the opposition.

Another bill by PML-N’s Anusha Rehman to seek amendments to house rules was referred to the standing committee.

A member from the tribal areas called for implementing the promised reforms to the Frontier Crimes Regulations. Akhundzada Chattan from Bajaur Agency said the law was adding to the miseries of the people and must be done away with immediately.

Published in The Express Tribune, February 2^nd, 2011.