The combined opposition in the upper house of parliament walked out of the Senate proceedings on Friday to protest against the invocation of Article 245 in Islamabad. The government claimed that it was only imposed to provide security to sensitive installations in the capital.
PPP Senator Raza Rabbani asked the government to immediately withdraw Article 245 from Islamabad as it suspends the basic fundamental rights of the citizens. He added that the interior minister has established a quick response force after the rising wave of militancy. As a result, the government does not have sound justification to invoke Article 245 in the capital, he said.
The PPP senator recounted the dark history associated with the invoking of Article 245 in the country. Zulfikar Ali Bhutto had also invoked the clause but later termed his decision to be incorrect. Moreover, Rabbani added that the situation of Islamabad is not as bad as the crisis that struck Wana and Waziristan.
Published in The Express Tribune, August 9th,2014.
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