Senate, NA unanimous in condemning attacks on aid flotilla, Ahmedis
04 June, 2010
ISLAMABAD: The National Assembly and the Senate on Thursday passed unanimous resolutions condemning the Israeli attack on the Gaza aid flotilla. The National Assembly also passed a unanimous resolution moved by Sherry Rehman of the Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) expressing sorrow and grief over the attack on Ahmedis’ places of worship in Lahore on May 28 in which 80 persons were killed and demanded high-level probe into the terrorist act. A resolution in the National Assembly moved by Zahid Hamid of the PML-N condemned the Israeli aggression, terming it a glaring violation of human rights and international law.The House reiterated full moral and political support to the struggle of the Palestinians for their right of self-determination and independent state. The House also called upon the Pakistan government to take up at the international level the issue of three-year siege of Gaza, which has added to the miseries of the besieged Palestinians. The resolution demanded of the United Nations, the OIC and other international organisations to force Israel to lift the blockade. The resolution also paid tributes to the courage of three Pakistanis, including senior journalist Talat Hussain who were on board the flotilla.Sherry Rehman, Sheikh Aftab, Riaz Hussain Pirzada, Khush Bakht Shujaat, Nadeem Afzal Chan and other members also spoke on the resolution. Sherry Rehman wondered what would have been the reaction of the international community had a ship of a western country been attacked. The resolution in the Senate was moved by the Leader of the House Syed Nayyar Hussain Bukhari, which termed the attack the worst incident of terrorism and a grave violation of international law. The House demanded of the international community to take effective measures to stop Israel from such aggressive activities. Senator Tariq Azim of the PML-Q asked the government to announce the highest civil award for Talat Hussain. It also demanded immediate lifting of siege of Gaza, urgent supply of aid to Palestinians and a permanent solution to the Palestinian issue. The National Assembly while passing a unanimous resolution moved by Sherry Rehman condemned attacks on two worship places of Ahmedis in Lahore on May 28 and demanded toughest action against those involved in the terrorist act. The resolution said that the religion of Islam and the Constitution of Pakistan ensure full protection to the rights and lives of minorities regardless of their religion. Some members of the treasury benches, including Farah Naz Isphahani and Sherry Rehman, criticised the Punjab government for not acting timely on the intelligence reports regarding attacks on minorities and terrorist acts in the province. Farah Naz also used the term “Punjabi Taliban”, saying they have become more active in carrying out terrorist acts. PML-N chief whip Sheikh Aftab Ahmad condemned the attack on the worship places of Ahmedis but regretted that the incident is being given colour of provincialism. “The name of Punjab should not be taken in this way only because it is ruled by the PML-N,” he said. He said terrorist acts should be seen in the broader prospective, saying such incidents are also happening in Karachi, Balochistan and in Khyber-Pakhtoonkhwa. Riaz Hussain Pirzada, Sherry Rehman, Shahbaz Bhatti, Nadeem Afzal Chan and Farah Naz said Ahmedis are peaceful citizens of the country and attack on their places of worship has tarnished the image of Pakistan. End.
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