- Shah calls for FATA reforms, says not in favour of ‘Rewaj Act’
Leader of Opposition in National Assembly Syed Khursheed Shah on Wednesday demanded a judicial inquiry into the terrorist attack that took place on the Army Public School (APS) in Peshawar in 2014.
Militants stormed the school on December 16, 2014, killing at least 144 people ─ most of whom were schoolchildren and their teachers. In the wake of the APS carnage, military courts were set up for trying terrorists under amendments made to the Constitution and the Army Act.
Speaking on the point of order after the Question-Hour session, he said that a judicial inquiry of the APS tragedy was promised by the government but still no inquiry has been conducted. The government has immediately ordered inquiry for about the death of only elephant of the Lahore Zoo but yet it has not fulfilled its promise to conduct inquiry into tragic incident, he said.
He also said that it was yet to be ascertained who was behind the brutal incident. “If the government is sincere with the people of the Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA) than it should take decision about reforms,” he said, adding that the tribal region issue should be resolved according to the wishes of the area people. However, he added that they were not in favour of ‘Rewaj Act.
Also the incident of ‘heroin’ recovery from ‘concealed packets’ from a PIA airliner was also raised by the opposition side. The government should take action on this incidence as it bring bad name to country, said Sahibzada Tariqullah on a point of order. According to the reports, heroin was allegedly seized from the flight PK-785 in London.
Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM-Pakistan) also staged walkout from the proceedings over power outages and alleged K-Electric discriminatory attitude. The Water and Power minister should take step to rein in K-Electric or step down from his responsibility, said MNA Sajid Ahmed, before staging walkout from the house.
The MQM lawmakers did not return despite the government side members made several attempts to bring them back. The MQM-P has been raising the issue of loadshedding at different forums. The third major opposition members has already raised this matter during previous sessions.
Parliamentary Secretary for Finance Rana Muhammad Afzal Khan, on call-attention notice, said that loans were being disbursed to the youth under the PM Youth Programme as per the laid down criterion. He said that the government approved 500 billion rupees for this purpose during the current financial year.
Furthermore, two bills ‘The National School of Public Policy (Amendment) Bill, 2017’ and ‘The Marine Insurance Bill, 2017’ moved by Law Minister Zahid Hamid were unanimously passed by the House. The statement of objects and reasons of the ‘The Marine Insurance Bill, 2017,’ says the bill was being placed for the approval to give effect to encourage and promote marine insurance sector in Pakistan.
“In order to remove contradictions and similarities with other laws existing in the field and to provide rules for construction of the marine insurance policies this bill was moved, the bill says. During the session, the House witnessed thin presence from both the sides of aisle as senior lawmakers from both the government and the opposition side were not present in the House.
‘Get out of the House’: National Assembly Speaker Ayaz Sadiq issued strict warning to officials of the Ministry of Planning and Development for their absence and non-serious attitude towards the parliamentary proceedings.
He passed stricture asking a low grade official present in the galleries to covey the secretary to cancel all engagements to be here within 15 minutes and show up his presence in the galleries. The situation emerged when the reply for a question of MNA Naseema Hafeez Panezai about the Ministry of Planning and Development was not found to be satisfactory despite that the question was pending since the last two sessions.
“Why the reply has not been given properly,” the speaker asked the parliamentary secretary for the planning who stated that it was all what he had received from the department. On this, the speaker asked is there any official of the Planning Ministry present in the House and he was informed by the secretary about presence of an official of the assistant director-level and it was enough to invite his wrath.
“Get out of the House. Why the secretary or other senior officials were not here,” the speaker asked the planning ministry official. “This attitude of the officials is unacceptable. They should take the parliament seriously,” he said. “Tell the secretary to be here within 15 minutes wherever he is and whatever meeting he is attending,” he remarked.
“I had facilitated these officials exempting presence of the secretary and additional secretary in case they are busy in other government business. But, they should ensure presence of at least an official of a joint secretary level,” he said. He also asked the parliamentary secretary to bring this matter in the knowledge of the minister or the prime minister if required so, to ensure that replies to the questions of the members is given promptly.
Finding the reply of another question unsatisfactory, the speaker said that he would sort it out today. “The secretary would come here, witness proceedings for three to four hours and also meet me in chamber,” he said.