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| India-Pakistan |
| Sufi Mohammad under fire in National Assembly |
| 2009-04-22 |
| [The News (Pak) Top Stories] The Pakistan Muslim League-Quaid (PML-Q) in the National Assembly on Monday strongly criticised statements of Tehrik Nifaz Shariat-e-Muhammadi (TNSM) chief Maulana Sufi Muhammad, saying the party would not accept Talibanisation in the garb of Nizam-e-Adl. The PML-Q had supported a resolution passed by the National Assembly on April 13 in which President Asif Ali Zardari was recommended to sign the Nizam-e-Adl Regulation agreed between the Awami National Party (ANP)-led government in the NWFP and Maulana Sufi Muhammad. Taking part in the debate on the presidential address to the joint sitting of parliament, Marvi Memon of the PML-Q demanded of Chief Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry to take note of statement of Maulana Sufi Muhammad in which he had stated that the Supreme Court and high courts were un-Islamic and not functioning according to Shariah. "The chief justice should also give his 'Fatwa' on statement of Maulana Sufi Muhammad," she added. Marvi said the PML-Q supported the implementation of Nizam-e-Adl in Swat for the restoration of peace but it was clear policy of her party that it would not accept Talibanisation in the cover of Nizam-e-Adl. "Where is the Council of Islamic Ideology and where is the chief justice when Maulana Sufi Muhammad is giving such definition of Shariat," she added. She regretted that the writ of parliament had been damaged on many occasion and various places in one way or the other. "We do not want to give the control to those who want to impose their Talibanisation," she said. Marvi accused crude concept of justice was being fed to people who were disappointed with the state. The PML-Q parliamentarian said her party had already expressed its reservations on the protection of rights of minorities and other sects including Shia. "We want sectarian harmony because our religion ensures the protection of rights of all sects," she emphasised. She said it was also feudalism in the country that compelled the people to look towards the Taliban for the resolution of problems. Meanwhile, the Muttahidda Qaumi Movement (MQM) agitated and protested in the National Assembly Monday questioning the government's stance on the statement of chief of Tahreek-e-Nafaz-e-Shariat-e-Muhammadi (TNSM) Maulana Sufi Muhammad in which he declared the superior courts and Parliament as un-Islamic and democracy as against the teachings of Islam. Parliamentary leader of the MQM and minister for overseas Pakistanis Dr Farooq Sattar raised the issue on a point of order and sought the Speaker's ruling. The MQM legislators who ended their week-long boycott of the parliament, which they observed in protest over the adoption of resolution on Nizam-e-Adl Regulation, also protested over Sufi Muhammad's statement and asked the house to condemn it through a resolution. However, the acting speaker Faisal Karim Kundi declined to give the ruling saying the house has already adopted a resolution in support of the Nizam-e-Adl Regulation. Minister for privatisation Syed Naveed Qamar dissociated the government from the statement of Maulana Sufi Muhammad saying it reflected the personal views of the TNSM chief. However, Advisor on Interior Rehman Malik said that the text of Maulana Soofi Muhammad's Sunday's speech is being closely examined.Referring to the Karachi situation, Rehman Malik said that the ANP chief Asfandyar Wali and the MQM leader Altaf Hussain have held detailed discussion and the matter would be resolved amicably. Jam Mir Muhammad Yousuf of the PML-Q said: "President Asif Ali Zardari should delegate his powers to parliament which should be made all powerful and President Zardari should be the head of state and a symbol of unity". Jam Yousuf, while referring to the contents of speech of the opposition leader, said: "I admit that we sided with Pervez Musharraf but we should not be criticised for it as those who are criticising us have also supported a dictator in the past". Sher Muhammad Baloch of the Pakistan People's Party (PPP) recalled his party's sacrifices for the country and democracy. "It was the courage of PPP founder Zulfikar Ali Bhutto that during his tenure Qadianis were declared non-Muslims and initiated land reforms but he fell prey to judicial murder by a dictator," he added. He questioned as to what was the fault of Nawab Akbar Bugti, who was also killed by a dictator. He passionately appealed to the government and all political parties to look into problems of Balochistan if they want to end sense of deprivation among Baloch people. He also strongly condemned the killing of three Baloch people who where kidnapped from the office of a lawyer. Jamshed Dasti of the PPP praised speech of President Asif Ali Zardari, saying the president brought the country out of crisis and fulfilled his commitment by restoring judges. He said it was Benazir Bhutto who paved way for return of Nawaz Sharif to Pakistan. "The credit for 95 National Assembly seats won by PML-N goes to the PPP leadership including Benazir Bhutto," he added. He said the people of South Punjab had been denied their rights and were not getting their due share in the Pakistan Superior Services. "We demand a separate South Punjab province but not on the basis of language," he said. He accused that nationalists had always created problems for the country. Yasmin Rehman of the PPP started her speech while paying tribute to Zulfikar Ali Bhutto, Benazir Bhutto and other members of the Bhutto family saying their sacrifices would always be remembered. She said the PPP government was taking the country's economy to the right direction. She praised government's commitment to enhance spending on education and health sectors and completing power generation projects in one year. |
| Posted by:Fred |
| #1 There's a headline writer with a feel for the malaprop. Don't write about extremists "under fire" unless there's actual brass bouncing off the pavement. |
| Posted by: Mitch H. 2009-04-22 13:08 |