The National Assembly has condemned the life attack on Muttahida Majlis-i-Amal (MMA) Parliamentarian Maulana Muhammad Khan Sherani, which he narrowly escaped on Sunday while travelling to Qillah Saifullah, some 160 kilometers from Quetta.
Opposition benches also condemned government's ban on MMA acting President Qazi Hussain Ahmed's entry into the tribal areas of NWFP where he was scheduled to address a public rally on Sunday.
Speaking at point of order here on Monday, MMA Member, Farid Ahmed Paracha raised both the issues in the House, which otherwise was focused on Political Parties Order 2002, Amendment Bill.
"The attack on an elected member of the parliament is highly condemnable. The House should reproach it," Farid Paracha said and urged the government to take foolproof measures for the security of public representatives.
Representing government's point of view, Federal Minister for Petroleum and Natural Resources Chaudhry Nauraiz Shakoor also condemned the incident and termed it as an "act of terrorism".
"It is an act of terrorism, which is a serious threat for the country and entire world after the post 9/11 scenario," Nauraiz told the House and assured steps were being taken for the security of parliamentarians and common people as well.
He informed the House that Balochistan government had arrested two suspects allegedly involved in attack on the convoy of MNA Sherani.
Nauraiz also said that the government was constantly in touch with the provincial administration about the incident and had asked the authorities to submit the investigation report.
On Sunday, Maulana Sherani, who is also the provincial president of MMA, escaped a life attack on him when a powerful bomb detonated on the roadside near him while travelling towards Qillah Saifullah.
It was once again Farid Paracha, who, on another point of order, raised the issue of ban on the entry of Qazi Hussain into the tribal areas, which was supported by several opposition members especially from MMA.
Qazi Hussain Ahmed himself described the incident as a "worse example of dictatorship" and said government had no right to impose ban on the free movement of the parliamentarians.
"It is an attempt to curb my constitutional right. I condemn it," Qazi said and added he had submitted a privilege motion to National Assembly Secretariat against the incident.
The MMA president accused the government of imposing curbs on the right of association and freedom of expression by harassing the elected parliamentarians.
He said that MMA, in the past, had been conducting rallies and public meetings in the tribal areas and none of these demonstrations posed any threat to law and order in the region.
Pakistan Peoples Party Parliamentarians (PPPP) leader Chaudhry Aitzaz Ahsan also condemned the incident terming it a "severe violation of the constitution". "If elected representatives are facing such kind of attitude then what to talk of common man. The government must apologise for it," he said.
Hafiz Hussein Ahmed, another MMA leader, accused the government of sabotaging the political process to resolve the issue of military operation in South Waziristan Agency. Another member of PPPP, Fauzia Habib, accused the local administration of harassing her while entering Murree.
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