The National Assembly on Saturday passed a unanimous resolution condemning the bombing of the mausoleums of Hazrat Imam Hasan Askari and Imam Ali Naqi in Samarra, the attacks on Baghdad mosques, and the killings of innocent people across Iraq.
The resolution urged the world community, particularly the Organisation of Islamic Conference (OIC), to take measures to bring the culprits to justice.
Mir Hazar Khan Bijarani of Pakistan Peoples Party Parliamentarians tabled the resolution, signed by Mujeeb Pirzada, Raja Pervaiz Ashraf, Hamid Nasir Chattha, Mehmood Achakzai, Mehreen Raja, Iqbal Memon, Nayyar Bokhari, Laeeq Ahmed, Shah Abdul Aziz and Nasrullah Dareshak.
Speaker Amir Hussain expressed his dismay over the non-compliance on the production order he issued for opposition's detained lawmaker Khwaja Saad Rafique.
Tehmina Daultana from Pakistan Muslim League (Nawaz) raised the issue of absence of Saad Rafique despite issuance of production order by the Speaker for Saturday's proceedings.
"Is it difficult for the Punjab government to facilitate Saad Rafique's air travel from Lahore to Islamabad. I don't see any reason," remarked the Speaker, when the assembly secretary read out a faxed message from Punjab Secretary Khusro Pervaiz, who said due to non-availability of seat in the airlines, the detained MNA could not reach the assembly.
He should have been produced, as, "we did not want to spoil the environment of amity in the House," remarked Amir Hussain.
The government expressed its resolve in National Assembly to go hard against the miscreants in the tribal belt, saying they could not be allowed at any cost to run a parallel system there, whereas, the opposition accused the government of keeping the 'region' turbulent to please the United States.
Earlier, Opposition Leader Maulana Fazlur Rehman and Maulana Nek Zaman from the tribal areas, spoke on the on-going 'military operation' and asked was it not an attempt to pitch the tribesmen, who are true patriots, against the government.
Their remarks created furore in the House. Both wanted to know exactly what was the government-policy towards the tribal areas and under what pretext, they were being subjected to attacks.
They pointed out that so far, 500 innocent civilians had been killed and warned that use of force would further complicate the situation in the tribal belt.
Fazlur Rehman said President Musharraf was taking the dialogue course with eastern neighbour, but resorted to using gun-ships against the people of Pakistan, living close to western border.
There was no problem in the past, but out of the blue, over 70,000 troops were deployed along Pak-Afghan border who failed to deliver and nab the terrorists, the government had been talking about, the MMA leader contended.
He condemned the government policy on the issue of miscreants and said that democratic ways must be explored to end the standoff. Fazlur Rehman challenged Interior Minister Aftab Sherpao to name any foreign terrorist killed during the operation launched since March 1.
He said that under a global conspiracy, Pakistan's geographical changes were being planned, which tribal people and the opposition would forcefully resist and not let it happen.
The MMA leader asked the government to have mercy on people of Balochistan and Waziristan and said they were patriots and not terrorists or miscreants.
The interior minister rejected the opposition members' contention and defended the action, saying, "So-called Taleban had occupied government buildings and taken control of the telephone exchange. Military action was the only option left after various peaceful options were rejected by them," Sherpao added.
He clarified that the action was against the miscreants and civilians had nothing to worry about. The minister added that since 1st March, miscreants had killed over 120 pro-government elders and security men.
Sherpao also said that Pakistani gun-ship helicopters, not foreign choppers, were being used during action against miscreants. He revealed that around 25-30 foreign terrorists had been killed by the security forces.
The minister Fazlur Rehman's offer of co-operation to resolve the issue and said that the government had a list of miscreants and proof of their involvement in terrorist acts.
Sherpao asked the opposition and Fata lawmakers to facilitate the government in restoring law and order in the area. Naheed Khan pointed out lack of quorum, and within no time, the session was prorogued sine die, contrary to what was decided earlier in the House Business Advisory Committee meeting that the proceedings would continue after the Zohr prayers and lunch break.