Gondal, on a point of order, appreciated Taseer’s work for humanity and also lashed out at Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) chief Imran Khan over his stance on terrorism.
The PPP leader said that Khan claimed to be a big leader but was a “coward” and had a double standard approach. Gondal said that the PTI chief had given an interview on an Indian television program hosted by Kiran Thapar, where he was asked if he would arrest clerics involved in terrorism and he had responded by saying he had to live in Pakistan and refused to answer the question.
Drawing a comparison, Gondal said that on the other hand the late Taseer was a bold and audacious person who had carried on the enlightened policy of the party, and had boldly raised the flag regarding rights for minorities in Pakistan.
The PPP leader said that the party had appreciated the services of late Benazir Bhutto and Salmaan Taseer, and added that both families had continuously faced tragedies. He demanded that the Government of Punjab with the support of the federal government should work for the early recovery of Shahbaz Taseer.
The house on his demand offered Fateha for the slain governor.
Minorities happy with PPP because of Taseer: Riaz
PPP leader Raja Riaz, while speaking to the media, said that it was because of the courage of Salmaan Taseer that minorities were happy with the PPP, as they believed that their rights would be protected by the party.
Riaz lashed out at the Sharif brothers and said that their decision to quit the coalition government in the center, the removal of PPP ministers from the government in Punjab and the move over the Memogate scandal were done on signals from power corridors. He said that Chief Minister Punjab Shahbaz Sharif’s one man show was about to end.
The PPP has not held any event in honour of Salmaan Taseer at the Governor House today. When Riaz was asked why Punjab Governor Sardar Latif Khan Khosa was reluctant to hold a seminar in remembrance, he said that an event should have been held, but added that the governor could give a better reply.
Assembly proceedings
The provincial assembly resumed the session at 11:10am today, it was scheduled to begin at 10am.
Education Minister Mian Mujtaba Shuja Rehman answered questions regarding his department.
Out of eight bills which were scheduled as the agenda of the day, seven have been passed so far. The proceedings are still on.
The following Bills have been passed:
- The Punjab Public Service Commission Bill 2011
- The Provincial Motor Vehicles Bill
- The Punjab Agricultural Pesticides Bill
- The Punjab Industrial and Commercial Employment Bill
- The Punjab Maternity Benefit Bill
- The Punjab Workers Children Bill
- The Punjab Bonded Labor System Bill 2011
COMMENTS (18)
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See where public bashing of clerics have landing salman taseer. Why doesnt the honarable provincal assembly member also follow in the footsteps of Salman Taseer.
What to say and what not to say is a sign of maturity, Imran showed maturity by not answering questions that he did not deem appropriate, it is PPP and PML N who who their imaturities from time to time by blabber mouthing about every other thing .... learn from the great Khan ...
And where were you brave folks when Salman Taseer had two SMG magazines emptied into him from a distance of a few feet? That's right, dead silence and cowering out of fear. And now they're using Taseer's death as an opportunity to take potshots at Imran Khan. What a shameless bunch.
Please also remember Shahbaz Bhatti who too paid with his life for opposing injustice. There was no other accusation against him other than that he publicly asked for the rights of minorities.
PTI commentators protests against Gondal have a point. At the time IK condemned Taseers killing and called for tolerance, he could have said more but overall PTI has a minority friendly stance. Gondal attempted mud slinging at this sombre event by trying to sully IK's name with an irrelevant, illogical reference to when he parried an Indian media persons leading questions. Such misjudged actions only result in soiling one's own hands and blacken one's face.
First time a good news coming out of Punjab PPP MPAs. Remember the real SHAHEED Sir Salman Taseer :)
I suggest Mr Gondal watches the Karan Thapar interview before passing such flimsy statements because I suspect the majority of those who read this will take Mr Gondal's word for what was said.
And PPP should avoid trying to bask in Salman Taseer's reflected glory. They abandoned him when he needed their support the most. And to now talk about his achievements with such brazen ownership is such a disservice to the man who fought till his last breath.
Rest In Peace Salman Taseer.
Salman Taseer's courage and sacrifice are respectable. However, PPP didn't have to resort to IK bashing. At the end of the day, IK is the one who is usually least bothered about his own security vs. other politicians who have armies of security guards and bullet proof cars at their disposal.
So he's a coward for not answering a question? Who was the coward Mr Gondal when PPP declined to even attend Salman Taseer's funeral? You couldn't even protect the Judge -as the head of states- who orderd the verdict against that slef proclaimed maniac Qadri. You guys took cowardice to a new and sustained level Mr Gondal.
they have too much time on their hands to criticize Khan.
@Sunder Khan you may not have intended it but you sound like an apologist for bloodthirsty acts in preference to civilised debate. Salman Taseer was a man I despised until he became a champion of the oppressed and a true hero of the country and of mankind. A man who gave a righteous cause preference over his own safety. His death fulfils the noblest requirements to qualify as a martyr or shaheed, a term which has been much degraded by application to folk who did not intentionally sacrifice their lives in a just or noble cause. I celebrate the fact that this soil has borne men of outstanding moral courage, men like Bhagat Singh, men like Salmaan Taseer. I suspect that Nawaz Sharif, Imran Khan, Asif Zardari and all reasonably sane people share Taseers viewpoint but they all lack the courage of conviction to stand up to mindless, zaalim zealots who are the true enemies of this great religion which they do not allow it to be.
@sunder khan: these are 'unavoidable consequences' only in barbaric societies, one of which we seem to have become.
How many more sacrifices does the PPP need to 'chamkao' its politics. Those claiming Salmaan Taseer now are the same people who abandoned him and his stance a year ago and cowered before the fanatics. Will it ever bring the assasins to justice?
The assembly member could have avoided PTI bashing at this time of grief. No wonder why PPP has fallen from grace along with its fallen leaders.
May Salman Taseer's soul rest in peace. Ameen
@Zoaib: Discreetly? The seeds of hatred that we have let to flourish within Pakistan since the last few decades have just started to bare fruit! The hush-hush bit was when we all sat quietly and shut-eye towards this menace, the repercussions and the meltdown of our ignorance was always destined to make the headlines. It still isn't too late though.
No wonder PPP and PML-N has same mentality, both in Governments and lashing out at Imran Khan, who have no seat or any role in Government....Shame on you