ISLAMABAD: Questioning participation of members of the proscribed organisations contesting general elections, the lawmakers in the Senate on Monday apprehended that some of them may become parliamentarian, changing scenario of Parliament.
Condemning suicide attack in Mastung which killed Siraj Raisani and around 150 others, the senators regretted that instead of checking activities of leaders and workers of the banned outfit, not only their names have been removed from the Fourth Schedule in darkness of the night but they have also been given clean chit to participate in July 25 elections.
“What will be the atmosphere in the National Assembly if 20 to 25 of those managed to reach the National Assembly after winning general elections,” former Senate chairman Senator Raza Rabbani, while speaking on floor of the Senate, said.
Raza Rabbani said that 150 candidates in the run for the National Assembly belonged to the group which gave sit-in at Faizabad while another over 50 leaders of another proscribed organisation were contesting election under umbrella of a party.
He also regretted that no lessons were learnt from the past political history when alliances like Pakistan National Alliance (PNA), Islami Jamhoori Ittehad and Muttahida Majlis-e-Amal (MMA) were forged. “But this time, we are faced with a different situation which sees over 200 candidates of proscribed organisations in the field for National Assembly seats,” he said.
Rabbani also warned that efforts for producing test tube babies through rigged general election process would be harmful to democracy and the country as well.
The PPP senator said that under the Constitution, it was responsibility of the state to ensure protection to lives and property of the masses but he regretted that instead of fulfilling its constitutional obligation, the state was seen more active in arresting political workers, registration of FIRs under Anti Terrorist Act (ATA) and creation hurdles in way of political leadership in running their election campaign.
The veteran politician said that as per report of the National Counter Terrorism Authority (Nacta), the heads of six political parties were facing life threats, adding that the prime minister and the army chief must be aware of the same report.
Paying rich tributes to Siraj Raisani, Senate Chairman Sadiq Sanjrani said the whole nation was saddened over the Mastung incident making it clear on the enemy that it could not deter resolve Baloch people. “This House wants to assure the people of Balochistan that the whole nation is standing with them it this difficult time,” he added.
Meanwhile, the Senate passed unanimous resolution moved by Leader of Opposition in the Senate Sherry Rehman to condemn suicide attack in Mastung which killed Mir Siraj Raisani and 150 others. “We strongly condemn the suicide attack in which we lost son of the soil and patriotic Pakistani like Siraj Raisani and 150 other Pakistanis,” the resolution said.
The House while noting Raisani was a patriotic Pakistani also demanded investigation into the incident, proper compensation to families of those who lost their lives and injured in the attack.
Senator Sherry Rehman while condemning arrest of the PML-N workers, however, rejected an impression that any deal between PPP and PML-N was being planned.
She asked Nacta to disclose names of five political leaders who were facing life threats. “The meeting of Whole Committee of the House should be convened in which officials of Nacta be called to give a briefing,” she said, adding, Nacta stated that leaders of PPP and PML-N are among those five leaders who are facing life threats.
Sherry Rehman said conditions were being made difficult for candidates and leaders of the progressive parties to run their election campaign while proscribed organisations were holding their public meetings and rallies without any hurdle.
Senator Rehman Malik of the PPP was of the view that every political leader and candidates facing life threats should get protection from the state. “As to why no security was provided to slain Baloch leader was a patriotic and used to speak against India,” he questioned.
Questioning performance of the caretaker government, Rehman Malik observed that none of polices of the incumbent rulers was moving in the right direction. He said security of all the polling stations should be monitored, demanding of the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) to tell on which basis, the stations were declared as sensitive.
