Amid rowdy scenes, the National Assembly on Tuesday rejected a bill proposed by a minority member to amend the blasphemy law. Speaker Amir Hussain came under fire by Parliamentary Affairs Minister Sher Afgan Niazi, who said the chair should have never admitted bills contrary to Islamic injunctions.
The government did not oppose another bill moved by the religio-political alliance to frame a law for the apostasy that has been referred to the standing committee concerned.
M. P. Bhandara, minority member from treasury benches, was the sole mover of the bill seeking to amend the Pakistan Penal Code, 1860 and the Code of Criminal Procedure, 1898 [The Blasphemy (Criminal Laws) (Amendment) Bill, 2007].
Parliamentary Affairs Minister Sher Afgan Niazi outrightly turned down the bill, saying: "Islam is our religion. He (Bhandara) must think before bringing such a bill. This is not a secular state. It is Islamic Republic of Pakistan."
Niazi requested Speaker Amir Hussain never to admit such bills in future.
Bhandara promptly responded to Niazi's concerns, saying the Constitution gives equal rights to minorities. He said Articles 2A and 36 of the Constitution guarantee that adequate provisions shall be made for the minorities to freely profess their religions, and the state shall safeguard the legitimate rights and interests of minorities.
The bill triggered a noisy protest by Muttahida Majlis-i-Amal lawmakers and treasury benches as well. Consequently, the lower house unanimously rejected the bill proposed by M. P. Bhandara.
Meanwhile, the house admitted the Apostasy Bill, 2006 that was moved by over two dozen MMA legislators. The bill says that if a male person commits the apostasy offence, he shall be awarded death sentence. If a female commits the apostasy offence, she shall be put in prison till she tenders her penitence.
Sher Afgan Niazi appeared to be polite and opposition-friendly on Tuesday, as he did not oppose most of the bills moved by the opposition.
There were very few proposed bills that were rejected, including The Labour Laws (Amendment) Bill, 2006, and The Constitution (Amendment) Bill, 2006 (Amendment of Article 203-B).
The bills which were admitted and referred to the standing committees concerned included The Pakistan Environmental Protection (Amendment) Bill, 2007; The Drugs (Second Amendment) Bill, 2006; The Special Citizens Bill, 2006; The Family (Stability and Protection) Bill, 2007; The Control of Viral Diseases Transmitted via Blood Products Bill, 2007 and The Pakistan Pharmacy Council Bill, 2007.
Speaker Amir Hussain congratulated the house for disposing of the legislative business of the day.
WALKOUTS: The opposition parties and media persons staged walkouts to protest against the blackout of private television channels in most areas of Sindh while broadcasting Chief Justice Iftikhar Mohammad Chaudhry's address to Lahore High Court Bar Association. The Speaker reserved the ruling on the adjournment motions moved by opposition parties, triggering separate walkouts by the combined opposition and media persons.
Later, the Speaker directed the parliamentary affairs minister for an inquiry into the incident, saying such incident should not take place on May 12 when President Musharraf is likely to address a public rally in the federal capital and Chief Justice Iftikhar Mohammad Chaudhry will address the Bar Council in Karachi.
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