Gay/lesbian party by US Embassy in Islamabad: government comes under fire in Senate for its silence

The senators of Jamat-e-Islami (JI) and Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam (JUI) on Friday took the government to task for its silence on gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender (GLBT) rights gala at US Embassy in Islamabad last month.
The US Embassy in Islamabad, on June 26, had hosted the first ever GLBT pride celebration ceremony, and assured the Pakistani participants that Washington would continue its every possible support in their cause.
The protesting lawmakers, while speaking on point of orders, said that the US is now trying to orchestrate most sensitive social issues and making it a clash of civilisation after political and military interference. They demanded of the government to ask US ambassador to Pakistan Cameron Munter to tender an public apology for arranging such a function in an Islamic country.
They said the gay rights' protecting party was against Islamic and moral values and maintained that such factions were aimed at creating social imbalance and fragmentation in the society.
Professor Ibrahim, a JI senator, said that it is cultural terrorism, adding that the US wants to destabilise Muslims moral fiber to prove that human freedom in their part of the world was most viable. "No, sir...it is an assault on Islamic culture, we will never accept such immoral activities and these must be stopped forthwith," he maintained.
Maulana Abdul Ghafoor Haideri, who is also leader of opposition in Senate, said that they would never allow such immoral happenings in Islamic Republic of Pakistan and continue our protest unless the government takes notice of it.
"I have written a letter to Prime Minister Gilani, asking him to take strict notice of the shameful event or we will be forced to chalk out a strategy to handle such crook elements in our society," he warned.
He accused the US of destroying Pakistan economically by imposing so-called war on terrorism and now it was trying to unleash cultural terrorism through developing cracks in our society by arranging such immoral activities. He went on saying that Pakistan, a Muslim state, follows Islamic rules and regulations, which strictly forbids gay, lesbian marriages and celebrations.
Demanding to include the issue in the agenda of Senate for proper debate, Maulana Shirani of JUI-F said that an ambassador had no right to aid fuel to the fire in a country by holding such functions.
Sherani said that it was contrary to the country's constitution, culture, norms and values of Islam and Pakistani society. He said he has submitted adjournment motion in the house in this regard and it should be included in the agenda.
Senator Ismail Buledi said the event at US Embassy had breached the privilege of whole nation, adding the US envoy was not supposed to organise the shameful gala as it should know the sensitivity of the people towards religion.
Senator Raja Zafarul Haq, a PML-N senator said it would further fuel anti-American sentiments in Pakistan. "The diplomats enjoy immunity in some matters but they must abide by law of the host country - immunity does mean you will do whatever you like," he maintained. Reacting to speech of the US diplomat that he would support gay rights in Pakistan, the PML-N stalwart said that the diplomats must think of the repercussions before they speak.
The debate did not stop here as some senators prominent among them was Rehmatullah Kakar, a Baloch senator stressed to refer the matter to the Council of Islamic Ideology (CII) - a constitutional body responsible for giving legal advice on Islamic issues to government and parliament.