Punjab Assembly: ‘Try Qadri for treason’
Lawmakers condemn ‘undemocratic forces’, support reserved seats for women.
Lawmakers condemn ‘undemocratic forces’, support reserved seats for women. PHOTO: EXPRESS/ FILE
LAHORE:
The treasury and the opposition in the Punjab Assembly unanimously passed a resolution on Thursday to condemn “conspiracies against democracy” and demanded that Dr Tahirul Qadri be arrested and tried for treason.
Prior to the resumption of the assembly session, which began three hours late at 6pm, the parliamentary leaders of the parties represented in the house agreed not to take up the business on the agenda. Instead, they would devote the day to the resolution and the condemnation of Dr Qadri, the head of the Minhajul Quran International (MQI), and his demands regarding the conduct of the general elections and the make-up of the caretaker government.
The house also passed a resolution condemning Tehreek-i-Insaf Chairman Imran Khan’s reported statement – which he has since denied making – opposing reserved seats for women. Arifa Khalid of the PML-N presented the resolution. Lawmakers also criticised the actions of Young Doctors Association (YDA) member in Gujranwala.
Resolution
The “Resolution against conspiracies against democracy, assemblies and upcoming general elections” reads: “The house condemns conspiracies against democracy, assemblies and upcoming general elections. The house condemns the plan to [impose an] unelected person on the nation in order to postpone the upcoming elections. The house demands the federal government make arrangements without any fear for the upcoming general elections. The house demands all political forces unite against conspiracies including sabotage of the elections and democracy.”
PPP Parliamentary Leader Zulfiqar Gondal drafted the resolution while PPP Deputy Opposition Leader Shaukat Basra tabled it in the house.
Ehsanul Haq Naulatia of the PPP said that Dr Qadri had urged the army not to follow orders from the government and instead support his long march on Islamabad. This was tantamount to treason and the MQI chief should be tried under Article 6, he said.
Waris Kalo of the PML-N seconded Naulatia’s demand. He said that Dr Qadri had been trained by the US Central Intelligence Agency and the Pentagon. They had helped him establish a network of supporters in Pakistan. The US wanted Dr Qadri in power so it could “fulfil its nefarious designs” in the region.
“How can he call politicians corrupt and call them thieves when the courts have declared him to be a liar?” said Gondal, referring to a case back in 1990. He said that Qadri had supported dictatorship and opposed democracy in Pakistan. The PPP and the PML-N would work together to support and protect the democratic set-up, he said, adding that Dr Qadri had come to Pakistan with “the agenda of international forces”.
Dr Muhammad Akhtar Malik said that Dr Qadri had created uncertainty in Pakistan and this had resulted in the decline of the Karachi Stock Exchange index in recent days.
Basra demanded that the MQM make clear whether it backed the MQI or the PPP before January 14, when Dr Qadri is planning his long march to Islamabad, failing which Dr Zulfiqar Mirza would be “let loose”.
He asked Chief of Army Staff General Ashfaq Pervez Kayani to check whether anyone from the military had helped bring Dr Qadri from Canada back to Pakistan. The chief justice of Pakistan, he said, should take suo moto notice of Dr Qadri’s actions. He said that his party would request its senior leadership to arrest and try Dr Qadri under Article 6.
Sheikh Alauddin of the Unification Bloc, speaking on a point of order, called for a debate on the “brutal torture” of the Gujranwala District Headquarters Hospital medical superintendent by the YDA. He said YDA members had previously attacked patients, journalists and policemen. Now they were beating up their own teachers.
Law Minister Rana Sanaullah Khan said that the house would hold a general debate on the YDA’s “shameful actions” on Friday.
Published in The Express Tribune, January 4th, 2013.
The treasury and the opposition in the Punjab Assembly unanimously passed a resolution on Thursday to condemn “conspiracies against democracy” and demanded that Dr Tahirul Qadri be arrested and tried for treason.
Prior to the resumption of the assembly session, which began three hours late at 6pm, the parliamentary leaders of the parties represented in the house agreed not to take up the business on the agenda. Instead, they would devote the day to the resolution and the condemnation of Dr Qadri, the head of the Minhajul Quran International (MQI), and his demands regarding the conduct of the general elections and the make-up of the caretaker government.
The house also passed a resolution condemning Tehreek-i-Insaf Chairman Imran Khan’s reported statement – which he has since denied making – opposing reserved seats for women. Arifa Khalid of the PML-N presented the resolution. Lawmakers also criticised the actions of Young Doctors Association (YDA) member in Gujranwala.
Resolution
The “Resolution against conspiracies against democracy, assemblies and upcoming general elections” reads: “The house condemns conspiracies against democracy, assemblies and upcoming general elections. The house condemns the plan to [impose an] unelected person on the nation in order to postpone the upcoming elections. The house demands the federal government make arrangements without any fear for the upcoming general elections. The house demands all political forces unite against conspiracies including sabotage of the elections and democracy.”
PPP Parliamentary Leader Zulfiqar Gondal drafted the resolution while PPP Deputy Opposition Leader Shaukat Basra tabled it in the house.
Ehsanul Haq Naulatia of the PPP said that Dr Qadri had urged the army not to follow orders from the government and instead support his long march on Islamabad. This was tantamount to treason and the MQI chief should be tried under Article 6, he said.
Waris Kalo of the PML-N seconded Naulatia’s demand. He said that Dr Qadri had been trained by the US Central Intelligence Agency and the Pentagon. They had helped him establish a network of supporters in Pakistan. The US wanted Dr Qadri in power so it could “fulfil its nefarious designs” in the region.
“How can he call politicians corrupt and call them thieves when the courts have declared him to be a liar?” said Gondal, referring to a case back in 1990. He said that Qadri had supported dictatorship and opposed democracy in Pakistan. The PPP and the PML-N would work together to support and protect the democratic set-up, he said, adding that Dr Qadri had come to Pakistan with “the agenda of international forces”.
Dr Muhammad Akhtar Malik said that Dr Qadri had created uncertainty in Pakistan and this had resulted in the decline of the Karachi Stock Exchange index in recent days.
Basra demanded that the MQM make clear whether it backed the MQI or the PPP before January 14, when Dr Qadri is planning his long march to Islamabad, failing which Dr Zulfiqar Mirza would be “let loose”.
He asked Chief of Army Staff General Ashfaq Pervez Kayani to check whether anyone from the military had helped bring Dr Qadri from Canada back to Pakistan. The chief justice of Pakistan, he said, should take suo moto notice of Dr Qadri’s actions. He said that his party would request its senior leadership to arrest and try Dr Qadri under Article 6.
Sheikh Alauddin of the Unification Bloc, speaking on a point of order, called for a debate on the “brutal torture” of the Gujranwala District Headquarters Hospital medical superintendent by the YDA. He said YDA members had previously attacked patients, journalists and policemen. Now they were beating up their own teachers.
Law Minister Rana Sanaullah Khan said that the house would hold a general debate on the YDA’s “shameful actions” on Friday.
Published in The Express Tribune, January 4th, 2013.