Senate pays rich tribute to Thahim, Dr Farooq

Senate adjourns 64th session after paying rich tribute to late Sindh Minister for local government.

ISLAMABAD: In line with parliamentary traditions, the Senate did not take up any business on its agenda on Monday and the 64^th session was adjourned after paying rich tribute to the late Sindh minister for local government, Justice (retd) Abdul Razzaq Thahim, and Dr Imran Farooq.

Leader of House Nayyer Bukhari moved a resolution highlighting the lawmaker’s role, which was adopted unanimously.

Lawmakers across the political divide also condemned the murder of MQM founding leader Dr Imran Farooq and expressed sympathies with the family of the slain leader and the party.

Terming the killing a brutal assassination, the Senators said the killing should be thoroughly probed. The House offered Fateha for the departed souls of Justice Thahim, Dr Farooq and Shama Khalid, the late governor of Gilgit-Baltistan.

Later, the House also adopted another unanimous resolution, condemning the brutalities of Indian authorities in the Jammu and Kashmir.

Through the resolution, moved by Waseem Sajjad, the senators extended their support to the Kashmiris for their right to self-determination. They urged the international community in general and the United Nations in particular to prevail upon India to stop grave human rights violations in the Indian Kashmir.

The upper house also urged the government to adopt a pro-active policy and extend all possible moral, diplomatic and political support to the Kashmiris.

Before the start of the session, the Senate’s business advisory committee, comprising heads of all parliamentary parties, met at the Parliament House under Senate Chairman Farooq H Naek to discuss the session’s modalities.

The meeting decided that the current session would continue till October 1 and discuss key issues like national economy, flood, law & order and the state of the education sector. The sitting will resume today (Tuesday) at 10 am.

Published in The Express Tribune, September 21^st, 2010.