Prime Minister Syed Yousuf Raza Gilani has announced 3-day official mourning on the assassination of Federal Minister for Minorities' Affairs, Shahbaz Bhatti. The prime minister while making the announcement on the floor of the National Assembly here on Thursday, said that the national flag would also be kept on half mast for one-day to mourn the killing.
He said that the white portion of the flag represents minorities, which shows Pakistan's commitment to protect and preserve their rights and welfare. Earlier, expressing solidarity with minorities both treasury and opposition benches joined the token walkout of minorities' members from the National Assembly in protest against the assassination of Shahbaz Bhatti.
But the coalition partner of PPP-led government, Awami National Party (ANP) did not participate in the walkout and said that the government should sit in the House and take practical steps to arrest the culprits involved in the incident. Meanwhile, most of the members in their speeches demanded of the government to constitute a Judicial Commission to investigate the incident.
The House initiated debate on Bhatti's assassination after suspending the rules and business on a motion moved by Minister for Privatisation Syed Naveed Qamar. Minorities MNA from Balochistan Asiya Nasir of Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam (JUI-F) strongly condemned the killing of Shahbaz Bhatti and said that minorities' members would stage token walkout from the House in protest against the killing.
Opening debate on Shabaz's killing she said the government must take practical steps for the rights and protection of minorities. She demanded of the government to arrest the culprits involved in this heinous crime and bring them to justice. She also objected that the House did not offer Fateha for Bhatti and said, why dua could not be offered for minorities, who also follow the Prophet and divine Bible.
Afterwards she staged walkout from the National Assembly in protest against the assassination of the Minister. All the minorities MPs joined Asiya and staged taken walkout from the House. The PPP and Opposition parties including the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) and PML-Q also joined the token walkout. Later, while taking part in the debate, Akram Masih Gill strongly condemned Bhatti assassination and demanded of the government to constitute a Judicial Commission for inquiry into the incident to unearth the actual forces behind this crime.
He also demanded of the Chief Justices of Pakistan to take suo motu notice of the incident. His murder has tarnished country's image abroad, he said while expressing concerns about security of non-Muslims. Dr. Nelson Azeem of PML-N strongly condemned the incident and proposed the House to constitute a Parliamentary Committee to probe the incident.
Javed Hashmi of PML-N said the murdered of Shaahbaz Bhatti was a security lapse. He said that the government should chalk out strategy to fight terrorism. He said that Islam gives message of tolerance and brotherhood. Mian Raza Rabbani said that all political and religious forces should unite on one point agenda for the nation by putting aside personal interests to tackle terrorism and extremism.
JUI-F leader Mualana Atta-ur-Rehman strongly condemned the killing of Shahbaz Bhatti and said that Islam did not allow killing of any innocent person. He added that time has come to foil the nefarious designs of anti-state elements by chalking out a joint strategy. He recommended that the government should review its policy and ensure supremacy of parliament by implementing its suggestions and recommendations.
He pointed out that the elements, who wanted to destabilise the country, were involved in act of terrorism and killing of innocent Pakistanis. He suggested constitution of a parliamentary committee to independently probe into the matter.
ANP leader Bushra Gohar said that the government should review the policies and curb such incident of terrorism. She said the killing of Bhatti took place due to security lapse, adding that the government should summon a meeting of concerned agencies to control terrorism and extremism.
She also supported constitution of judicial commission to probe the killing of Bhatti and said that the safe heavens of extremist elements in Punjab and FATA should be destroyed. She said the existing laws needed to be discussed in the House and a parliamentary committee should review all the laws.
Dr. Araish Kumar, Dr. Darshan, Hamid Saeed Kazmi, Zafar Baig Bhetani MNA Lal Chand, Jamila Gilani, Syed Zafar Ali Shah, Shakeela Khanam Rashid and Mehmood Hayat participated in the debate and condemned the killing of Shahbaz Bhatti. Meanwhile, Minister for Religious Affairs Syed Khursheed Shah moved a resolution in the House to suspend the proceeding of the House on the next day to continue debate on assassination of Shahbaz Bhatti. The resolution was unanimously adopted by the House.
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