The proceedings of National Assembly on Monday began with severe criticism to provincial government of Pakistan Muslim League (N) for its inability to protect the minorities but ended abruptly in humiliation for the government to maintain quorum for passage of important legislative business.
Over four legislative items were on the agenda but the strategy of the opposition leader Chaudhary Nisar Ali not to allow the treasury to push through tax amnesty scheme led to embarrassment for the treasury. As soon as Law Minister Farooq H. Naek moved legislative business after laying a report before the House and introducing a bill, Anusha Rehamn of Pakistan Muslim League (N), as may have been decided by Chaudhary Nisar Ali Khan during a meeting with his Parliamentarians in the opposition lobby amidst proceedings of the House, pointed out quorum. The move was so unexpected for the Law Minister and Chief Whip Syed Khurshid Shah that all their efforts to maintain quorum remained futile. The presiding officer rung the bell for few minutes to allow the treasury members to return to the House, however, majority of them by then have already left the Parliament and eventually the presiding officer have to prorogue the proceedings for today and passage of the legislative business has been delayed till Wednesday because Tuesday is reserved for private member.
The opposition has made its intentions explicitly clear, as stated by Chaudhary Nisar outside the parliament, that it would block what may come the government plan to push through the parliament tax amnesty scheme before expiry of its tenure. Nisar seriousness to block the tax law was evident from the fact that on Monday he arrived and led all his members out of the House to opposition lobby for devising a strategy when his party's provincial government was being severely criticised by other parties over Badmi Bagh incident. The opposition leader remained tight lipped over Lahore incident but led to an embarrassment for the treasury through lack of quorum and set the stage for stiff resistance on tax amendment law. Another very important happening was passage of unanimous resolution by the House against the tragic incident of torching more than 150 Christian houses in Lahore on March 8, sparking countrywide protest and condemnation across the country following more than two and half hours debate by the Parliamentarians. The resolution demanded of the government to immediately form a judicial commission to probe into the cause of the incident and fix responsibility. What was extremely sad was that politicians use every incident as opportunity for political point scoring against their opponents instead of sitting together and devising a comprehensive strategy to prevent such incidents? Malik Riaz of PML-N and Shazia Mari of Pakistan People's Party's speeches on the issue have been reflection of the tendency. Presiding officer suspended question hour session on the demand of the Parliamentarians especially minorities members of the House to allow discussion on the Badami Bagh incident. Asiya Nasir who initiated debate strongly condemned the incident and held Punjab government responsible for failing to protect the monitories in the province. She said that this was not the first incident in the province as previously similar incidents had happened in Gojra etc. Asiya Nisar of JUI also criticised law Minister Punjab Rana Sanaullah for backing such incidents as other members especially Muttahida Quami Movement (MQM) Sohail Mansoor demanded resignation of Chief Minister Punjab and Chief Minister Sindh for bad law and order situation in their respective provinces. Khawaja Saad Rafiq of PML-N also termed the incident as inhuman and stated that his party's provincial government accepted responsibility and has taken action against the culprits.
Akram Masih Gill who was mover of the resolution unanimously adopted by the House against the incident stated that how the entire community could be punished for the act of one person. He added that the misuse of the blasphemy law must be stopped and "if you think that Christians can not live with you then create a separate province for them." He said Christians were given guarantee for protection of life and property in Pakistan by Quaid-e-Azam. Bushra Gohar of Awami National Party (ANP) deplored that people in Pakistan are being divided in the name of religion and state has been unable to show commitment with minorities. She also urged the Parliament to discuss the amendment in blasphemy law introduced by military ruler Zia-ul Haq and wanted the Punjab government to acknowledge safe heaven of terrorists in the province and abolish them. She was right to point out that religious intolerance, terrorism and extremism are major threats to the country and all possible measures need to be taken to discourage this menace.
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