NA adopts resolution for Holi, Diwali, Easter holidays

ISLAMABAD: The National Assembly on Tuesday adopted a resolution calling upon the government to take steps to declare Holi, Diwali and Easter as holidays for minorities. The resolution was moved by Dr Ramesh Kumar Vankwani.

Meanwhile, women members of the opposition staged a walkout in protest against the non-delivery of funds to them. The House also passed a resolution urging the government to take effective steps to strengthen Pak-Afghan border security.

The government benches, however, seemed to be confused over the issue as Parliamentary Secretary for Interior Maryam Aurengzeb in the first instance opposed the resolution but following criticism from the opposition members, agreed to give a go-ahead to the move.

Clarifying her position, the parliamentary secretary said initially she opposed the resolution for the reason that the border security management was the responsibility of other ministries too.

She told the House that the government, under the purview of the Ministry of Interior, was taking a number of steps to strengthen the border security saying that the permit system for border crossing was being integrated with the Nadra database.

She pointed out that a summary had been sent to thePresident for approval under which FIA rules would be applicable on border movement. She said blockage of CNICs issued to foreigners was also a step towards border security.

The opposition members on the other hand said it was collective responsibility of the cabinet to respond to any issue concerning the federal government. The opposition members were of the opinion that strengthening of Pakistan-Afghanistan Border Security was imperative to stop terrorist attacks, illegal border crossings and illegal trade. 

Murad Saeed, the mover of the resolution, came harsh on the government for opposing the resolution saying seriousness is what is lacking in government in dealing with every issue concerning national interests. 

He said it was responsibility of the federal government to strengthen Pak-Afghan border security management. Dr Shireen Mazari of PTI said that opposition to the resolution reflected that all the ministries were not on one page. “Whether there is difference in policies of the foreign and interior ministries,” he said.

Aisha Syed of Jamaat-e-Islami (JI) and Aisha Gulalai of PTI were of the view that there was need to make security of border more effective in order to prevent terrorist attacks and drugs smuggling. 

Usman Tarakai said those who were opposing the resolution should spend few days in Balochistan and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa to see law and order and security situation there. Abdus Sattar Bhachani, Maulana Gohar Shah, Maulana Amir Zaman, Abdul Qahar Khan, Dr Arif Alvi and Ghous Baksh Mehar also spoke on the issue.

The House also passed a resolution saying the government should take steps to formulate Umrah Policy to facilitate people, especially in the month of Ramazan and control exploitation by private operators. It was moved by Muhammad Muzammil Qureshi.

Through yet another resolution, the House expressed the opinion that the government should take steps to provide accommodation to all female students on their admission in the hostels in the precincts of universities throughout the country. Sahibzada Tariqullah and others moved the resolution.

The members also introduced six private members bills in the house which were referred to concerned standing committees. The bills include "The Constitution (Amendment) Bill, 2016" (Amendment) of Article 224A), "The Constitution (Amendment) Bill, 2016" (Amendment of Article 77), "The Representation of the People (Amendment) Bill, 2016", "The Pakistan Penal Code (Amendment) Bill, 2016" "The Anti-Terrorism (Amendment) Bill, 2016" and The Constitution (Amendment) Bill, 2016" (Amendment of Article 106).

{C}{C} {C}{C}{C}{C}Female members from the opposition benches staged walkout from the National Assembly (NA) proceedings as protest against non-provision of development funds to them.

Aisha Syed of Jamaat-e-Islami (JI) raised the issue in the house saying that the female MNAs have been facing problems in getting development funds during tenure of the incumbent National Assembly in the last three years.

She said it was sheer discrimination to the female members elected on reserve seats whereas they enjoy rights equal to those of other parliamentarians.

She along with other opposition women members from Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP), Pakistan Tehrik-e-Insaf (PTI) and Muttahida Qaumi Movement walked out of the house to register their token protest.

However, they were not supported by female parliamentarians present on the treasury benches. Sabiha Nazir, of PML-N, defended on a point of order her government saying that his party leadership had taken various measures to ensure protection of rights of woman folk including passage of a women protection bill by the Punjab Assembly.

For the first time in the history of National Assembly, a female MNA wearing ‘Niqab’ presided over proceedings of the house for half an hour.

Naeema Kishwar Khan of JUI-F, who is on panel of chairpersons for the ongoing session, was given the opportunity to chair the proceedings when the Speaker Sardar Ayaz Sadiq left the house for some other engagement.

Members from both sides of the house congratulated Naeema Kishwar for getting honour of chairing proceedings. She is among some active women members of the NA. 

Responding to a calling attention notice moved by Naeema Kishwar Khan and others regarding postponement of census scheduled to be held during the ongoing month and non-inclusion of column of disabled persons in the census form, Parliamentary Secretary for Finance Rana Muhammad Afzal Khan told the House that the census was delayed due to non-availability of armed forces personnel with the consent of provinces.

Rana Afzal said the issue was discussed in detail in the meeting of Council of Common Interests last month.  He said the government has made all the arrangements to conduct the housing and population census but was postponed because of non-availability of security personnel. He pointed out that about 240,000 personnel are required for this exercise. The Parliamentary Secretary said the forms for the census have been designed according to the international best practices which also provide details about the disable persons.