NA discusses opening of Kartarpur corridor

• Minister for Human Rights Shireen Mazari Monday said opening of Kartarpur corridor by Pakistan.
• The minister said Pakistan Tehreek e Insaf (PTI) delivered on one of its promises and brought spotlight on Pakistan.
• Aftab Jehangir expressed fear that the sit in and speeches of Maulana Fazlur Rehman would ignite violence in the country.

ISLAMABAD: Minister for Human Rights Shireen Mazari Monday said opening of Kartarpur corridor by Pakistan was a right step as it had promoted positive image of the country.

Speaking in the National Assembly, she criticised India for its Supreme Court's decision on Babri Mosque and Ayudhya temple.

The minister said Pakistan Tehreek e Insaf (PTI) delivered on one of its promises and brought spotlight on Pakistan regarding religious freedoms.

Pakistan was moving on a revolutionary path, she said, adding Pakistan Peoples Party and Pakistan Muslim League (N) should not use the occasion to score points.

Taking part in the debate, Raja Pervaiz Ashraf said Pakistan Peoples Party had always supported the idea of soft borders with its neighbours to promote regional peace and security, adding PPP welcomed the opening of Kartarpur corridor.

He lambasted India for showing stubbornness and damaging relations between neighbours.

Khurram Dastgir of PML-N said when Pakistan announced the opening of Kartarpur corridor, India responded by annexing Kashmir, revoking its constitutional status and dividing it into two union territories.

Shazia Marri of PPP along with other members raised the matter of attack of locust in Sindh and asked for preventive measures to save crops. She pointed out that not a single meeting of Council of Common Interests was held in a year which was contrary to the spirit of constitution.

Speaking on a point of order, Aftab Jehangir expressed fear that the sit in and speeches of Maulana Fazlur Rehman would ignite violence in the country.

He said he was a parliamentarian from a large constituency in Karachi and the area was wrecked by encroachments and China cutting.    He demanded the formation of a commission to help those who were deprived of their property due to land grabbing.

He alleged that he was attacked and fired upon by persons belonging to PPP in a recent incident.

He demanded security of life and property for people of Karachi and complained that police had failed to fulfill its duty.

Negating the charges of the MNA against his party, Abdul Qader Patel of PPP assured that the grievances expressed by the MNA would be addressed by his party leadership in Sindh.

Earlier, Minister for Housing and Works Chaudhry Tariq Bashir Cheema got approved a resolution to extend the recovery of Mortgaged-backed Security Ordinance, 2019 for a further period of 120 days with effect from November 15, 2019 under article 89 of the constitution.

Parliamentary Secretary for Finance Zain Hussain Qureshi laid the Tax Laws (Amendment) Ordinance, 2019 before the house as required by clause (2) of Article 89 of the Constitution.

Minister of State for Parliamentary Affairs Ali Muhammad Khan laid in the house the Code of Civil Procedure (Amendment) Ordinance, 2019 as required by clause (2) of article 89 of the Constitution.

Zain Qureshi on behalf of Dr Abdul Hafeez Shaikh, Adviser to the Prime Minister on Finance and Revenue also laid before the National Assembly the annual report of the Securities and Exchange Commission of Pakistan on the statement of accounts of SECP, certified by the auditors for the year ended on June 30, 2017 as required by sub-section (6) of section 25 of the Securities and Exchange Commission of Pakistan Act, 1997.

Meanwhile, Deputy Speaker Qasim Khan Suri adjourned the house till Thursday morning.