Veena Malik, India in the line of fire

A Unification Bloc member lashed out at Veena Malik for posing nude on the cover of an Indian magazine.


Abdul Manan December 20, 2011

LAHORE:


Some PPP members sat on Assembly Chambers steps in their socks as a way of protest on Tuesday but the highlight of the day remained Unification Bloc’s criticism of Veena Malik and India.


The House was scheduled to take up private member issues on Tuesday. The session started with a 40-minute delay. Minister Min Mujtaba Shujaur Rehman answered members’ questions about the School Education Department. Two resolutions were passed during the day.

Sheikh Alauddin, a Unification Bloc member, speaking on a point of order lashed out at Veena Malik for posing nude on the cover of an Indian magazine. He also objected to the Most Favourite Nation (MFN) status granted to India.

Alauddin said that Malik had humiliated the nation, Pakistan Army and the ISI and other Pakistani models by posing with an ISI tattoo on her arm. “Veena is maligning our security institutions and she’s doing this in the name of friendship with India,” he said.

He asked for Speaker Rana Muhammad Iqbal’s permission to present a resolution against the MFN status the federal government intends to award to India. “During the last two months Pakistan has faced a Rs1.25 billion loss because of India. I can prove it,” Alauddin said.

He said that Pakistan would import around 2,000 items from India while India was reluctant to import even 840 items from Pakistan.

During Alauddin’s criticism of Malik and India, PPP’s Pervez Rafique stood up and said, “Veena Malik is the daughter of the county. She is doing everything in our country’s interest.”

Rafique also condemned Alauddin’s statements on India, “This is the first time the House is hearing that Pakistan-India friendship is not in the interest of the country.” At this, Alauddin remarked, “Malik might be Rafique’s daughter. She sure isn’t the daughter of the nation.”

The speaker intervened and turned down Alauddin’s request to move a resolution.

Earlier, some PPP members staged a walk out from the House to protest farmers’ exploitation by sugar mill owners and a fertiliser shortage.

They then took off their shoes and sat on Assembly Chambers steps. Hassan Murtaza said that the Punjab government was not willing to discuss the farmers’ plight. He said the farmers are yet to be paid for the sugar cane they sold to sugar mills two months ago.

“Most of the mills are owned by PML-N members or their supporters. That is why the government is reluctant to take action against the mafia,” Murtaza said.

The PPP member also criticised PML-Q leaders, who he said were responsible for selling fertiliser in the black market, “Being the senior minister, Chaudhry Pervaiz Elahi is responsible for the scarcity of fertilizer in the Punjab.”

The proceedings turned raucous when PPP’s Shaukat Basra was stopped from talking about the Sasti Roti Scheme. On a point of order Basra said that he wanted to talk about a newspaper report according to which the scheme had resulted in misappropriation of Rs3.64 billion from government funds. At this several treasury members started speaking. Basra and other PPP members followed suit.

Peace was declared when Rana Sanaullah said that the government was willing to discuss the issue on an agreed date.

“I will bring record of the scheme with me on the day you want to debate this but there can’t be a debate on the issue right now, based on a newspaper report,” the law minister said.

Opposition leader Raja Riaz Ahmed asked party members to move a resolution through the House in order to discuss the issue.

“Even though the PML-N went to the Supreme Court relying on a newspaper story, we will follow the procedure,” he said.

Resolutions

Four resolutions were presented before the House, out of which two were passed. PML-N’s Ejaz Ahamd Khan moved a resolution asking that action be taken against fuel stations that cheated the public. Another PML-N member, Muhammad Ilyas Chinioti, moved a resolution asking for drilling in Chiniot for iron ore and other minerals.

Nighat Nasir Sheikh’s resolution asking that the Child Protection and Welfare Bureau be replaced by a another organisation because it was not doing a good job was opposed by Law Minister Rana Sanaullah who said that if there were any flaws in CP&WB rules, they should be amended.

The session was adjourned till Wednesday (today) at 10am.

Published in The Express Tribune, December 21st, 2011.

COMMENTS (25)

NR | 12 years ago | Reply

Some guy said here that Pakistan had "got Sania Mirza". The truth is though is that she doesn't live in Pakistan, still plays for India and said she is "proud of her country".

Altaf Hussain, Mumbai | 12 years ago | Reply

Veena Malik posed for FHM, a lads magazine. She is going to be the lead lady in Swyamvar, a tele serial again targeting adult males. Most advertisements during this soap will be adult male specific, such as sun glasses, watches, pens, shaving creams, time-share holiday plans, cars, etc. Major ad agencies have already circulated detailed concept capsules for this serial and believe me the ad rates are astronomical. If show producers, editors, ad agencies, etc. find Veena marketable in the male entertainment industry then why can't we let her flourish? The adult male entertainment segment in India is massive (probably the largest in the world), but extremely competitive. Shelf life of these models is at best 7-8 years and they need to make the most of it. That a Pakistani dame is giving Indian models a run for their money is in itself a great achievement. Please leave her alone. She is good. Let her concentrate on the job on hand.

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