Uproar in PA over child abuse incidents

LAHORE: Punjab Assembly on Monday witnessed uproar over child molestation incidents and deaths of two citizens as a result of police firing against protesters in Kasur.

The PA session, which started with a long delay of four hours with Speaker Rana Muhammad Iqbal Khan in chair, witnessed exchange of heated arguments between Opposition leader Mian Mehmood-ul-Rasheed and Law Minister Rana Sana Ullah Khan over child pornography scandal, abduction, rape and murder of minor girls, including Zainab, killing of two rape accused in fake encounters and deaths of two citizens after police opened fire against the mob attacking the Deputy Commissioner Office in Kasur.

Rana Sana Ullah Khan, the Law Minister on the floor of the House, claimed that he knew the forces who fed wrong information of 37 accounts of accused Imran to a TV anchor (Dr Shahid Masood), adding it was all done to change the course of investigation process.

He also said that as the matter was sub judice, law doesn’t permit him to disclose the details about the elements who fed such information to the TV anchor. Situation got tense in the House when Opposition Leader Mian Mehmood-ul-Rasheed criticised the Punjab government over sodomy, child pornography incidents in Kasur where number of victims, according to him, were around 250. He also said had the government acted at proper time to nab the serial rapist, life of Zainab could have been saved.

Responding to the criticism of the Opposition Leader, Rana Sana Ullah said that rather than taunting governments of other provinces of perpetrating slackness, the ‘alert’ government of KP should find the killers of Asma. He also said under the domain of the ‘alert’ KP government, a medical student had also been killed by a person who was nephew of a local PTI leader.

After these remarks, members from both sides stood up and started passing taunting remarks against the leaderships of the rival parties and the House plunged into disorder for a while. However, after repeated instructions from the chair, the House business resumed.

Moreover, while responding to the call attention notice by Opposition Leader, Rana Sana told the House that accused Imran, who was the resident of the same colony where the rape-cum-murder victim Zainab was residing, was arrested by the police on suspicion. He said the DNA sample of the accused were taken which later matched with Zainab’s and a case had been registered against accused Imran who was under police custody now.

Mian Mehmood-ul-Rasheed, while responding to the answer received from the Law Minister, stated that two citizens of Kasur were killed in fake encounters on the suspicion of being the rapist whereas later Imran was found the actual culprit. He asked who was responsible for the killings of two innocent people.

Besides, he also slammed Punjab police for opening fire against local people who were out to protest against the serial killing of minor girls in Kasur. “All the victims belonged to same area and it is natural that angry people will take to streets against these incidents but no one has the right to open fire against them, if direct fires are opened against protesters, this province is nothing but a police state” said Opposition Leader Mian Mehmood-ul-Rasheed. He demanded Law Minister to order probe into the incident.

Responding to the remarks of Opposition Leader, Law Minister Rana Sana Ullah stated that in all the two incidents, not only inquiry was underway but action would also be taken against the people responsible for breaching law.

The PA held question hour session related to Environment and Transport during which Provincial Minister Zakya Shahnawaz and Parliamentary Secretary Fayyaz Chuhan responded to the queries.Parliamentary Secretary for Transport Fayyaz Chuhan had to undergo a real testing time during the question hour session when he failed to satisfy Opposition members over queries related to Metro Bus Project and its cost.

Newly-elected MPA from Chakwal Sultan Hyder Ali Khan also took oath as MPA amid slogans chanted by legislators from both sides.Terming the attitude of Opposition regretful, the newly-elected member said it was his first day in the House and the way he had been received by his Opposition colleagues showed what precedents they were setting. He said his father late Liaqat Ali Khan remained member of Punjab Assembly for six terms and his victory in the recent by-polls clearly reflected the love of people for Nawaz Sharif.