Senators criticise media, govt for calling killer a maulvi
ISLAMABAD: Senators from both the treasury and opposition benches on Thursday criticised the government and private TV channels for calling Muhammad Sarwar, the assassin of the Punjab social welfare minister, a “maulvi”.
Senator Dr Abdul Khaliq Pirzada of the Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM), raising the issue on a point of order, said that a conspiracy was being hatched against ulema. The killer was not a maulvi, as this title was only conferred upon a student after completing his studies from a seminary.
“No religious scholar can even think of directing anyone to kill a person and Muhammad Sarwar killed the provincial minister of his own will,” he said.
Prof Ibrahim, Dr Kausar Firdos and other MMA senators supported the view.
Chaudhry Anwar Bhindar said that this act should be condemned strongly.
Abdur Rahim Khan Mandokhel, the parliamentary leader of Pakhtoonkhaw Milli Awami Party, said that parliament should take the killing seriously.
Gulshan Saeed of Pakistan Muslim League (PML) said that the chief justice of Pakistan should take suo moto notice of the case. “How was a person who had killed six women moving freely in the country?” she asked.
Kulsoom Parveen of the PML said that a female relative of Sarwar should be killed in the same manner as he killed the minister, Zill-e-Huma.
Jamal Leghari said that the Interior Ministry should come up with a policy statement on this issue and provide security guards to parliamentarians.
Source: Daily Times
Date:2/23/2007
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