ISLAMABAD:
A charged National Assembly unanimously adopted two resolutions on Thursday – one calling for a judicial probe into the twin industrial infernos that claimed 259 lives in Karachi and over 23 in Lahore, and the other condemning an online video containing blasphemous content.
The resolution on factory fires recommended that the provincial governments of Punjab and Sindh form a judicial commission to probe the causes of these incidents.
Members of the house mourned the victims of the fire incidents, and expressed sympathy with their family members. The resolution called for fixing responsibility, especially against the owners of the factories, for ignoring laws pertaining to safety of workers.
“It should also fix responsibility on government servants for not enforcing and implementing relevant rules and laws,” the resolution demanded.
Besides calling for registration of criminal cases against the culprits, the resolution also urged necessary legislation to prevent a repeat of such tragedies.
It also called for providing compensation to the heirs of the victims and the injured.
Blasphemous video
The lower house also condemned an online video containing blasphemous content, a day after protests erupted across the Muslim world and resulted in the death of the US ambassador to Libya.
Lawmakers from across the political spectrum called the incident ‘shameful’ and ‘derogatory’ and demanded that YouTube, the platform which hosts the video, remove the 14-minute clip.
Some lawmakers suggested that the government go beyond mere condemnation of the incident, but did not specify how that should be done.
The resolution came on the heels of an overnight condemnation by the foreign ministry, and subsequent government orders to the telecom regulator to block the video in Pakistan.
There were also calls by political parties to hold protest rallies against the video on Friday.
‘Provoking hatred’
Moved by federal law minister, Farooq H Naek, the resolution said the defamatory film, timed with the commemoration of 9/11, provoked hatred within societies and between people of various faiths.
“The event has deeply hurt the feelings of the people of Pakistan and Muslims all over the world,” it mentioned.
Pakistan is a strong proponent of interfaith harmony and believes all manifestations of extremist tendencies must be opposed, the resolution said.
“What sort of freedom of expression is this … you have been hurting the sentiments of Muslims through such actions continuously,” said Opposition Leader Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan.
If corrective measures are not taken, the unrest would spread throughout the Islamic world, Khan said.
He condemned the killing of the US ambassador in Libya, and said that there should be proportional condemnation for when Muslims are hurt.
Meanwhile, Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) minority member Dr Nelson Azeem called for a ban on the video and said that every Christian in Pakistan condemns this act.
(Read: Insulting one’s faith)
Published in The Express Tribune, September 14th, 2012.
COMMENTS (4)
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passing a resolution is one thing, doing something about it is another, what would it take for us to realize that we are trying to become friends with our foes ? what would it take for muslims to realize that the war against terorism has actually entirely been a war against muslims ? what would it take for muslim countries to not only denounce but dissasociate themselves with " enemies of muslims", enemies of islam and the prophet salal laho alaye wa aalay hi wasalam , how can muslim countries support a nation which has been constantly busy in murdering millions of muslims in afghanistan,palestine and iraq ? the only answer i get is " dollars". shame on all the muslim governments who support USA, these resolutions are good for nothing.
Why cant NA call an assembly this big to discuss the MORE pressing issue of the misuse of the blasphemy law...
"The resolution called for fixing responsibility, especially against the owners of the factories, for ignoring laws pertaining to safety of workers."
That's interesting. What about Ojhri camp explosion?
The unofficial figure of death toll from Ojhri camp disaster is said to be about 5000. Was the responsibility fixed on the army? The poor prime minister was made the scape goat and his head was sought by Zia Ul Haq. The politicians, the government officials who gave the permission or agencies who turned a blind eye to the irregularities will go scott free. Owners will be held, if they have no political backing.
Of course the official death toll of the disaster was claimed to be 93 by Zia in Ojhri explosion. So, is this number of 259 genuine? Or perhaps, more people are dead.