The National Assembly on Wednesday adopted a unanimous resolution, backed by opposition and treasury members, seeking immediate release of Pakistani national Amjad Hafeez abducted by militants in Iraq few days ago.
Speaking on a point or order, Muttahida Majlis-i-Amal (MMA) acting president Qazi Hussain Ahmed said that abduction of Amjad Hafeez is a very serious issue.
He demanded of the government to constitute a special committee comprising both opposition and treasury members for pursuing his (Hafeez) release.
Pakistan Peoples Party Parliamentarian secretary-general Raja Pervez Ashraf said that there is a serious threat to Amjad Hafeez's life in Iraq, urging the government to immediately take steps to save his life.
He said that the government should appeal through Al-Jazeera or Al-Arabia TV for his release. He went on to say that Federal Foreign Minister Khurshid Mahmood Kasuri should himself contact Iraqi authorities to mitigate the sufferings of his poor family.
Leader of the opposition Maulana Fazlur Rehman said that Hafeez's kidnapping is a very tragic incident for the whole nation. He appealed to concerned authorities to make their best efforts for his earliest release.
He also appealed to the Iraqi people, human rights organisations to help Pakistan in securing release of Amjad Hafeez from the kidnappers.
Expressing his full support, Federal Minister for Religious Affairs Ijazul Haq said that the House should adopt a unanimous resolution to appeal Iraqi authorities for our national's release.
He was of the view that the government should send a special envoy to Iraq for negotiation with the kidnappers to save Hafeez's life.
Expressing government's stance, Federal Foreign Minister Khurshid Mahmood Kasuri said that he has instructed Pakistani mission in Baghdad to make necessary efforts for his (Amjad Hafeez) release.
He said that the government has sought the help of Iraqi authorities and also contacted religious leaders of Iraq.
Kasuri informed the House that Pakistani Liaison Mission in Baghdad has been instructed to find out the whereabouts of Hafeez, and make all possible efforts for his earliest release.
Following the directives of National Assembly Speaker Chaudhry Amir Hussain members of the National Assembly jointly passed a resolution in which they have urged the Iraqi government, religious leaders and militants to release their national.
Later on, the foreign minister's appeal on behalf of the government and people of Pakistan against the abduction of Amjad Hafeez was also distributed in the House.