Senators, both from opposition and treasury benches on Tuesday joined hands against the rising incidents of kidnapping in Balochistan and staged walkout from the House to express solidarity with the families of the missing persons. The token walkout, announced by National Party's senator Dr Abdul Malik Baloch, was joined by senators hailing from opposition parties including PML-N, PML-Q, Jamaat-e-Islami, JUI-F along with ANP senators, the coalition partner of the ruling PPP.
Before leaving the House as a protest, Dr Abdul Malik, while speaking on a point of order diverted attention of the House towards the protest by the families of missing persons of Balochistan outside National Press Club. He appealed to the leaders of the all political parties in the House to go and visit the protest camp of the missing persons' families to express solidarity and also asked the media-men to stage token walk out from the press gallery. He also deplored the arrest of some protesters by Islamabad Police, who were later released after interrogation, adding that they were on a peaceful protest and their arrests were unjustifiable.
The House also witnessed two separate walks out by members of the MQM who wanted the minister concerned to assure the House for taking serious action against those involved in extortion in Karachi. The second walkout was staged by senators belonging to JUI-F and JI against the absence of Minister for Sates and Frontier Regions in the House to give statement on resolution that "the House recommends that necessary reforms be made in Frontier Crimes Regulations (FCR)." The resolution could not be passed due to the absence of the Minister and was deferred for next private members day.
Interior Minister Rehman Malik and Leader of the House Syed Nayyar Hussain Bokhari, however, brought the protesting senators back to the House on the instructions of Senate Chairman Farooq H Naek. Later, responding to the points of order, Malik assured the House that the protesting family members of missing persons would be extended all possible facilities.
About the Karachi situation, he said that action has been taken against extortionists and the law enforcement agencies have arrested 30 persons allegedly involved in the extortion in the city. He said that a committee has been constituted and all those involved in the extortion would be arrested. He said the Sindh Chief Minister has been asked to increase patrolling in the areas where complaints of the elements involved in extortion were receiving.
Meanwhile, speaking on the resolution, senators belonging to various political parties urged the government to implement Fata regulations by brining reforms in the FCR. The resolution moved by Senator Hafiz Rashid could not be passed due to absence of the minister concerned. Hafiz Rashid said that it was strange that tribesmen being the people of Pakistan were not enjoying the laws prevailed in rest of the country.
JI's Senator Professor Ibrahim said that a committee was also constituted on the Fata Reforms and demanded of the government that the recommendations made by the body should immediately be implemented. ANP's Haji Adeel said that his party has always spoke for giving rights to the people of Fata, adding that the announcement made by President Zardari in his first presidential address to the joint sitting in this regard should be implemented in letter and spirit to bring reforms in the Fata.
Senator Saleh Shah from Fata, however, opposed complete repeal of the FCR, saying that it would be against the traditions of the tribal elders, as according to him some clause of the regulation should not be repealed or changed. He further said that the complete repeal of the FCR could create troubles in the Durand Line, the 2,640 kilometers Pakistan border with Afghanistan in case the Fata is given status of a province or merged with Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa.