MPAs, journalists protest over Rushdie issue: Budget debate ends
LAHORE, June 20: Members from both treasury and opposition benches on Wednesday joined hands with journalists to hold a protest demonstration against the award of knighthood to Salman Rushdie by the British government.
Shahnaz Saleem of the PML-N was commenting on the budget estimates for 2007-08 when Speaker Afzal Sahi interrupted her to read out a message from the Press Gallery Committee regarding the demonstration.
On a point of order, Deputy Opposition Leader Rana Sanaullah invited all the members to join the journalists’ protest before Speaker Sahi adjourned the proceedings for 10 minutes.
Ministers Imran Masood, Chaudhry Iqbal and Amir Sultan Cheema, oppositions’s Rana Sanaullah and Arshad Baggu, almost all the women MPAs were prominent among the legislators present in the house who joined the demonstration.
Strongly condemning the UK government’s action of honouring the blasphemer, the participants chanted slogans against him and said no Muslim could even think of any compromise on the glory of the Holy Prophet (Peace be upon him) as it is a matter of their faith.
Expressing the resolve that the entire Ummah would sacrifice their lives for the veneration of the Holy Prophet (PBUH), they demanded that the UK government should immediately revoke its decision.
Speaker Sahi, after resumption of the proceeding half-an-hour later, termed it a good omen that both the members of the treasury and opposition were unanimous in expressing solidarity with journalists to condemn Rushdie.
“Difference of opinion and disagreement over issues between treasury and opposition benches has been a routine matter. The government has always accommodated and paid heed to the due criticism by the opposition that has been within the ambit of ethics,” said the speaker while urging all the members to bring a positive change in their behaviour during the last parliamentary year and exhibit the same unity as they did in today’s demonstration.
Law Minister Basharat Raja, on a point of order, thanked all the members of the house and the journalists for projecting the sentiments of all Pakistanis and the entire Ummah.
“The media has always portrayed national stance on various issues in a forceful way and today’s demonstration is an example in this regard. Opposition’s cooperation is a good omen and we hope they will continue supporting the government on issues of national importance,” the law minister said.
Zahoor Ahmad Daha, on a point of order, called for some concrete steps instead of adopting resolutions and holding demonstrations. The house should urge President Pervez Musharraf to demand extradition of blasphemer Rushdie from the US to Pakistan.
On a point of order, Arshad Baggu said Rushdie was an Indian national and “we should demand his extradition on the ground that he desecrated our Holy Prophet.”
Speaker Sahi observed that a committee, comprising Law Minister Basharat Raja, Zahoor Daha, Rana Sanaullah, Arshad Baggu, and some other members of the house should be constituted to discuss the matter and give recommendations in this regard.
Source: Dawn
Date:6/21/2007
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