Assembly proceedings: Lahore rape, Karachi operation echo in NA

MQM stages walkout from the house, calls for release of its workers.


Qamar Zaman September 17, 2013
National Assembly of Pakistan. PHOTO: APP/FILE

ISLAMABAD:


The ‘surgical cleanup’ in Karachi and the grisly gang rape of a five-year-old girl in Lahore consumed the first sitting of the incumbent National Assembly’s 5th session on Monday. The session was scheduled to debate a ‘motion of thanks’ over Asif Ali Zardari’s sixth presidential address to parliament.


Soon after the house assembled, lawmakers from the Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) staged a walkout from the house, calling for the release of all its workers who were rounded up during the ongoing ‘targeted operation’ against extortionists, target killers and criminals in the megacity.

“You [law-enforcement agencies] couldn’t see beyond Nadeem Hashmi and MQM offices,” MNA Syed Asif Hasnain said before announcing boycott of the proceedings. “We want an operation against criminals and anti-state elements,” he added.

Last week law enforcers arrested Nadeem Hashmi, a former legislator of the MQM, on murder and terrorism charges. The arrest sparked widespread protests by the MQM in the city.



“Ironically, the mandate of a political party with 85% vote-bank [in Karachi] has never been recognised,” Hasnain said. Without naming any party, he said that members of proscribed organisations and criminals were awarded party tickets for the May 11 elections which speaks volumes about the attitude of the rulers.

Karachi saw three security operations since 1990 with rampant extrajudicial killings – but the law and order situation remains fluid, he added. “This is because sanctuaries of criminals and ‘no-go’ areas were spared in these operations.”

Hasnain and his fellow party lawmaker Abdul Rashid Godil asked the authorities that how Uzair Baloch of the outlawed Peoples Aman Committee and other criminals managed to flee the country before the launch of the operation. Uzair Baloch, according to them, is now in Muscat.

In response, Nafeesa Shah from the PPP said that Sindh Governor Ishratul Ebad and the MQM were on onboard when the decision was made to launch a ‘targeted operation’ in Karachi. “It would have been better if the party which demanded handing over of Karachi to the army cooperated in the operation,” she added.

Lahore gang-rape

Interior Minister Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan welcomed a suggestion from PML-N lawmaker Sheikh Rohail Asghar for harsher and stricter laws to curb increasing incidents of rape.

He said the police were supposed to perform their duty honestly and efficiently, the prosecution was supposed to play its due role and the judiciary was supposed to give timely rulings. “We [the government and the opposition] can join hands in the light of the Lahore rape incident and introduce fresh legislation.”

Nisar also underlined the need for ‘self analysis’ to come out of ‘our indifferent attitude’ as a nation.

Earlier Asghar called for fresh laws that could ensure public execution of the rapists.

Monday’s proceedings witnessed a rarity: a security officer of the speaker was requested for the Tilawat-e-Quran (recitation of the holy Quran) ritual when it transpired that the official Qari was absent. “This never happened in the past,” the interior minister said.

The house also offered Fateha for the three fallen army officials who died in Sunday’s roadside bomb attack in Upper Dir district.

Published in The Express Tribune, September 17th, 2013.

COMMENTS

Replying to X

Comments are moderated and generally will be posted if they are on-topic and not abusive.

For more information, please see our Comments FAQ