Parliament committed collective sin:Fazl

ISLAMABAD: Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F) chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman on Wednesday said the whole parliament had committed a collective sin by amending the oath of Khatm-e-Nabuwwat (SAW).

Speaking on the floor of the National Assembly, the JUI-F chief demanded a proper probe into the issue of change of language of oath with regard to Khatm-e-Nabuwwat (SAW), saying the hidden facts should be probed and responsibility fixed as to who was behind the sensitive matter.

The Maulana said the people of tribal areas should be allowed to decide about the future of Fata. “I ask what stops from seeking the opinion of Fata people before changing their status,” he said.

Fazlur Rehman said that at the tribal Jirga attended by over five thousand tribesmen on December 16, 2012, it was decided that the Jirga would decide the future of tribal areas. He said the parliamentarians had been talking on the issue of merger of Fata with KP, but nobody knows as to what was the mood of the House on this matter. The JUI-F chief said if any decision was taken against the will of people of tribal areas, then it would be a big reference in case of any controversy at the international level. “Our objective is to take decision for betterment of our people, but we might have different points of view and thinking with different frame of mind,” he said.

The Maulana said that so far the merger of Fata with KP had not taken place but steps being taken give an impression of merger. “You should not keep the people in the dark and tell them the truth if you have taken any decision,” he said.

After Falzur Rehman’s speech, the National Assembly session was prorogued on an unpleasant note as the proceedings witnessed a verbal clash between the two senior parliamentarians. The two parliamentarians, Mehmood Khan Achakzai from the Pakhtunkhwa Milli Awami Party (PkMAP) and Shah Mehmood Qureshi from the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), wanted to speak on the issue of merger of Fata with Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, whereas the chair had given the floor to the former following the speech of Fazlur Rehman on the issue.

“I have been given the floor, therefore, you cannot speak first and you should take the seat,” Achakzai in an angry tone told Shah Mehmood Qureshi. Achakzai asked Deputy Speaker Murtaza Javed Abbasi to prorogue the sitting if he was not allowed to speak.

Shah Mehmood Qureshi said that Maulana Fazlur Rehman had expressed his point of viewon Fata and it was their turn to respond. However, the deputy speaker said that Mehmood Khan Achakzai had already been given the floor.

At the same time, when a PTI member also tried to raise the question of quorum as around 50 members were present in the House, the chair seeing no chance to ending the unpleasant situation in the House, read the prorogation orders.

The matter did not end there as lawmakers from the government and benches gathered in front of dais of the speaker extending their verbal exchanges for the next few minutes.

Meanwhile, a statement issued by the National Assembly Secretariat said that terming the conduct of Deputy Speaker Murtaza Javed Abbasi as partial by the PTI members was against parliamentary norms. The statement said the deputy speaker, following the speech of Maulana Fazlur Rehman, gave floor to Mehmood Khan Achakzai who is the parliamentary leader of PkMAP as per the parliamentary traditions, but the PTI parliamentarians starting creating an uproar in the House. “The situation created by the PTI members in the House is against the parliamentary norms and highly regrettable,” the statement said.

Later, talking to media persons, Shah Mehmood Qureshi said they patiently heard the point of view of Maulana Fazlur Rehman but then at the behest of the government, Mehmood Khan Achakzai was given the floor and they were denied the opportunity. 

Members of the Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) and Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) said the employees of Steel Mills had not been given salaries and pensions. “The government is not paying heed to important matter of Steel Mills, as the employees are not given pensions and salaries,” said MQM’s Muzammil Qureshi on a point of order.

Shazia Marri of the PPP also supported the point raised by the MQM member, saying justice was not being done with the employees. The PPP members also staged a walkout from the proceedings as protest.

Shah Mehmood Qureshi said the government should resolve the issue of Steel Mills as soon as possible. Federal Minister Riaz Hussain Pirzada said Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi had clarified in detail that the IB list was fake. 

Ali Muhammad Khan asked the government to raise the issue of ill treatment with a Pakistani by a Saudi citizen. Speaking on a point of order, he said a Pakistani person was thrown before a lion by a Saudi citizen. “The Pakistan government should take up the issue with the Saudi officials as it is violation of human rights,” he said.