PA passes resolution to mark Dec 16 as national day

LAHORE: Punjab Assembly on Friday unanimously passed a resolution to observe December 16 as a national day against terrorism and extremism in remembrance of Army Public School martyrs.

Hina Pervaiz Butt, a PML-N legislator, presented the resolution after PA Deputy Speaker Sardar Dost Muhammad Mazari directed her to present the resolution for suspending rules. According to the resolution, ‘‘The House pays tribute to martyrs of Army Public School terrorism incident, besides demanding declaring December 16 as national day against terrorism and extremism in Pakistan.” The House showed solidarity with the parents of the martyrs, and survivors of the tragic terrorism incident. Further, the House also paid tributes to the martyred soldiers who scarified their lives in the war against terrorism.

PTI’s Uzma Kardar presented a resolution on Pakistan’s successful diplomacy with the US with regard to the removal of the country’s name from the blacklist of the countries that violated religious freedom.

The resolution was passed with the approval of the majority legislators. The resolution stated, “The House congratulated government of Pakistan for successful diplomacy for bringing country name out of blacklist of countries that violate religious freedom. The US removed Pakistan’s name from blacklist with the efforts of the government of Pakistan. Pakistan is safe country for minorities. National Commission for Human Right Pakistan is completely functional.”

However, PML-N legislator Uzma Bukhari opposed the resolution and criticised the government. She said it was not the diplomatic success of the government of Pakistan, rather a U-turn taken by Trump as he was also expert of U-turn like Imran Khan. She said Pakistan’s name was placed on the blacklist to defame it while how it could be a diplomatic success when the country’s name was already in the watch list.

Waris Kallu criticising the resolution said how it was a diplomatic success as Islam preaches about giving rights to minorities. Further, he said that it would be a diplomatic success if Pakistan managed to get India placed on the blacklist for killing innocent Kashmiris and other minorities in the country. He said the world knew about the human rights violations in India but its name was not put on the blacklist.

Raja Basharat clearing government position said that minorities were safe in Pakistan and had religious freedom in the country. Earlier, Deputy Speaker Sardar Dost Muhammad Mazari constituted a seven-member committee for legislation on production order to empower the Speaker of the provincial assembly to issue production order.

The committee is headed by Provincial Minister for Law and Parliamentary Affairs Raja Bashrat along with three members from PTI, two from PML-N, one from PPP and Mavia Tariq. Earlier, in the question-answer hour, the Deputy Speaker expressed his displeasure on the “non-seriousness” of Food Minister Samiullah Khan with regard to responding to the questions asked in the House as provincial minister was absent from the House. He said earlier the S&GAD minister was absent on the question-answer day.

However, Minister for Industry, Commerce and Trade (ICT) Aslam Iqbal informed the Deputy Speaker that the father of Samiullah Khan was ill due to which he was absent.

The minister for labor and human resource answered to the questions raised by the legislators. Later, Deputy Speaker Punjab Assembly Sardar Dost Muhammad Mazari prorogued the session.