Senate condemns Haniyeh's murder

Opposition protests to mark one year incarceration of PTI founder

ISLAMABAD:

The Senate on Monday unanimously passed a resolution, condemning the assassination of Hamas political bureau chief Ismail Haniyeh in Iran's capital last week, and slammed Israel for its war crimes against the Palestinian people in the Gaza enclave.

The resolution was moved by Senator Palwasha Khan during the session chaired by Chairman Syed Yusuf Raza Gilani. At the outset of the sitting, the house offered Fateha for the late Haniyeh, recited by Senator Maulana Ataur Rahman.

The resolution said that the Senate expresses grief and sorrow over the assassination of the Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh in the Israeli attack in Tehran on July 31. The House also condemns the killing of Palestinians and violations of human rights in Israeli attacks.

It urged the government of Pakistan, the international community, the Organisation of the Islamic Cooperation (OIC) and Islamic countries to forge unity to stop Israel from committing terrorist activities and help lift the blockade of Gaza to allow emergency aid to the besieged Palestinian people.

The resolution also condemned the Israeli bombardment in Beirut, Lebanon, and the recent killing of 250 civilians in Palestine. The resolution declared that Israel was becoming an international criminal and a terrorist state by attacking Muslim countries for no reason.

Speaking on her resolution, Senator Palwasha Khan said today Pakistan's enemy Hasina Wajid had been forced to seek refuge in India and soon Netanyahu would have to take refuge with [Indian Prime Minister Narendra] Modi. "There is a reign of oppression in Kashmir and Palestine."

Senator Sherry Rehman, parliamentary leader of the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) in the Senate, said that the international organisations were also talking about the brutality of Israel. "Israel and India have been given license to commit atrocities around the world," she said.

Opposition Leader in the Senate Shibli Faraz expressed grief over the assassination of Ismail Haniyeh. He criticised the government stance on the high-profile murder, saying that the statement issued by the Foreign Office in Islamabad was weak.

Faraz also referred to the Kashmir Exploitation Day observed in the country on Monday against India's unilateral actions of 2019 in which Delhi revoked the special status of the IIOJK.

Besides, Faraz said it was a sad day for them as it marked the one year since the arrest of PTI founder Imran Khan. The country was destroyed by arresting the PTI founder on August 5 last year and fabricated cases were instituted to ridicule him, he said.

On that the government benches asked Faraz to speak on the resolution that had been unanimously passed by the house. Faraz asked the speaker to stop the treasury members from interrupting his speech, otherwise, the opposition senators would not let them speak in the house.

Later, the house was adjourned till till 5pm Tuesday (today).