Brash Sanaullah, PML-N face strong criticism

Senate calls for immediate removal of the Punjab law minister.

ISLAMABAD:

Though mudslinging between the two leaders has been commonplace, a recent remark by Punjab’s brash law minister Rana Sanaullah against Senator Babar Awan may have gone too far – causing furor amongst parliamentarians across the board.

The Senate on Wednesday resonated with calls for the immediate removal of Punjab law minister, who is one of Nawaz Sharif’s closest associates, from both the provincial cabinet and legislature for a controversial remark made against Senator Awan – one in which he declared that Senator Awan’s conduct makes him ‘liable to be murdered’ (wajib-ul-qatl).

The upper house of Parliament passed a unanimous resolution against Sanaullah’s remarks, fearing the statement might instigate a tragedy similar to the murder of former Punjab governor Salmaan Taseer – who, too, was declared ‘wajib-ul-qatl’ just before his assassination.

The Senate has sought an explanation from the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N)’s top leadership for the remark.

“The Punjab government should remove Rana Sanaullah and take disciplinary action against him,” the upper house resolution demanded. Leader of Opposition Senator Ghafoor Haideri moved the resolution which added: “If anything happens to Babar Awan, Rana Sanaullah and the Punjab government will be held accountable.”

Separately, the National Assembly also condemned the statement by the Punjab law minister with one of the federal ministers seeking an explanation from the PML-N top leadership.

But the government did not press the issue in the lower house after a party stalwart Khawaja Saad Rafiq promised that his party would look into a statement had actually been issued, Sanaullah would have to explain it.

Earlier, National Assembly Speaker Dr Fehmida Mirza  said that the statement might instigate another incident such as the murder of Taseer, who was killed by one of his security guards for supporting reforms in the blasphemy laws – for which Taseer was labeled ‘wajib-ul-qatl’ by some extremist elements. “The country cannot afford more such incidents,” she said.

Condemning Sanaullah’s statement, Senators across the party divide demanded the formation of a commission to investigate the matter and called for disciplinary action against Rana Sanaullah.

PPP Senator Raza Rabbani said: “The whole society is heading towards brutalisation and political differences are being resolved through ‘law of the jungle’”.

Senators Abbas Khan and Zahid Khan alleged Rana had strong links with banned outfits in Punjab and such statements might incite extremists to kill Awan.

Senator Haseeb Khan said that awarding religious edicts was the job of the Ulema and a strong protest should be launched against such an act.

Senators Khalid Mehmood and Rehmatullah Kakar urged the Supreme Court to take suo motu action on the controversial statement.

Earlier, Senators from the treasury and opposition benches urged the government to address the complaints of journalists and constitute a commission in accordance with their demands by making a judge of the superior court as its head.  Deputy Chairman Senate Jan Muhammad Jamali directed the leader of the house and Wasim Sajjad to compile terms of references of the committee constituted by the Senate in this regard.



Published in The Express Tribune, June 16th, 2011.