National tragedy: PA passes resolutions on Quetta blast, Edhi

Opposition stages token walkout to protest the killing of a PTI worker

LAHORE: The Provincial Assembly passed a unanimous resolution on Monday to condemn the August 8 suicide attack in Quetta in which at least 70 people had lost their lives.

The resolution termed the attack a ‘cowardly act’ and a national tragedy.

Monday’s session was chaired by Speaker Rana Muhammad Iqbal.

The resolution on Quetta attack extended full support to the Armed Forces and other security agencies. The members prayed for their success in efforts against terrorists. The House also offered prayers for those who lost their lives in the attack. Members of the press gallery staged a token walkout to condemn the attack and offered prayers for the deceased in the assembly courtyard.

The House also paid rich tributes to philanthropist Abdul Sattar Edhi who had passed away in July. A resolution was unanimously passed in this regard acknowledging his philanthropy. It expressed hope that the Edhi Foundation would continue his humanitarian mission.

Earlier, the session was suspended for a wh pointed out lack of quorum. Human Rights and Minorities Affairs Minister Khalil Tahir Sandhu persuaded the Opposition lawmakers to return to the House so that the session could be resumed.

There was a brief argument between the Chair and Leader of Opposition Mian Mehmoodur Rasheed after the former expressed his concern on the matter of quorum in view of an agreement between both benches regarding the passing of the two resolutions.

The Opposition also staged a token walkout to protest the killing of PTI worker Mirza Tanvir Beg. Beg was the complainant in an FIR registered following the murder of his brothers, both members of the PTI, during last year’s local government elections.

Rasheed said incidents of targeted killings had increased in the province. He said the killing of lawyer Nasir Turabi, an associate of former governor Sardar Latif Khosa, in Kasur was also a case of targeted killing. “If Rangers can conduct an operation against target killings in Karachi, why can’t they do the same in the Punjab?” he asked.

Law Minister Rana Sanaullah responded by suggesting that the Opposition’s walk out from the House appeared to be meant only for media coverage. He said Rasheed had been asked in the business advisory committee meeting to submit call attention notices if he felt that the police were negligent in investigations of any murder case. “The recent killing in Lahore was related to a personal dispute,” he said.

He said it was unfortunate that democratic practices were yet to gain popularity in the society.

Both benches exchanged heated slogans over the Kashmir issue when a remark was made about it by PML-N lawmaker Farzana Nazir. She had criticised the Opposition for failing to acknowledge the gravity of the crisis in the Indian Occupied Jammu and Kashmir. This had led the Opposition to chanting anti-government slogans. Nazir was admonished by the Chair for disturbing the proceedings and ‘playing with her mobile phone’.

The chair later warned that she would be expelled from the House if she failed to maintain decorum.

Earlier, Chaudhry Ashraf Warraich took oath as an MPA. He has been elected from PP-97 during the session.

Five of the 13 questions on agenda on Social Welfare and Baitul Maal and Planning and Development Department were taken up during the questions hour.

The session will continue on Tuesday. The House is expected to take up two more resolutions, including one on the ongoing crisis in Occupied Kashmir.

Published in The Express Tribune, August 23^rd, 2016.