ISLAMABAD: The National Assembly, on Friday, unanimously, passed a resolution, strongly condemning the attack on a Hindu temple by a charged mob in Bhong village of Punjab’s Rahim Yar Khan District.
The resolution adopted by the House resolved to protect the places of worship of minorities, besides taking stern action against those involved in vandalising the temple.
The resolution, which was moved Friday by State Minister for Parliamentary Affairs Ali Mohammad Khan, said: “This House strongly condemns the ransacking of the temple. Prime Minister Imran Khan had also condemned the incident and issued instructions to bring the culprits to book.”
It said the constitution of Pakistan provides complete protection to the rights of minorities and the House also affirms that rights of minorities and their places of worship will be fully protected.
“The whole nation and government are united on this point,” it added.
It further said “Islam completely protects the rights of minorities,” adding the House reassured the Hindu community and Pakistan Hindu Council of their safety.
Speaking on the occasion, the state minister said that whoever was behind the attack on the temple, had nothing to do with Islam or humanity.
He said that besides the prime minister, the top religious clerics and other senior government officials from the province had strongly condemned the incident.
“As human beings and as Muslims, we all are deeply saddened on this issue as we’ve been through this. We still cry about demolition of Babri Mosque in India and injustice being meted out to our brethren in occupied Kashmir,” he added.
Supreme Court censures Punjab Police over inaction after Hindu temple attack
The prime minister, the government and the senior leadership, he added, were standing by the minority communities, particularly, the Hindu community at this testing time.
He continued that the government had always condemned such incidents and that the entire state apparatus and civil society stood with minorities at such times, which he contended was in contrast to India where Narendra Modi’s Hindutva RSS (Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh) government stands with the perpetrators.
Federal Human Rights Minister Shireen Mazari said the Ministry of Human Rights was in contact with Rahim Yar Khan Police and a first information report was already registered and suspects were being arrested.
“The prime minister has given his commitment that the government will restore the temple at its expense,” she said as she asked for the issue to not be politicised.
Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) MNA Naveed Qamar said that any incidents related to places of worship needed to be collectively condemned and solutions devised to prevent their reoccurrence.
He also criticised the local administration for taking the matter lightly instead of trying to pre-emptively solve it.
Ali Muhammad introduced, “The Oil and Gas Regulatory Authority (Amendment) Bill, 2021” in the House to further amend the Oil and Gas Regulatory Authority Ordinance, 2002 [The Oil and Gas Regulatory Authority (Amendment) Bill, 2021] (Amendment in section 8).
Minister for Aviation Division Ghulam Sarwar Khan introduced a bill to provide for establishment of Civil Unmanned Aircraft System Authority for Pakistan [The Civil Unmanned Aircraft System Bill, 2021] in the House.
The House also adopted two resolutions to further extend the ordinances including the Election (Second Amendment) Ordinance, 2021 and protection of Parents Ordinance, 2021 for a period of 120 days each.
The State Minister for Parliamentary Affairs moved a resolution to extend, The Election (Second Amendment) Ordinance, 2021 (Ordinance No. XI of 2021), for a further 120 days.
Maleeka Ali Bokhari, the parliamentary secretary for law and justice, moved another resolution to extend, The Protection of Parents Ordinance, 2021 (Ordinance No. XII of 2021), for a further period of 120 days.
Parliamentary Secretary for Finance and Revenue, Zain Qureshi, laid before the National Assembly the Report of the Federal Accounts for the Financial Year 2019-2020 and the reports of the Auditor General for the Audit Year, 2020-21, as required by Article 171 of the Constitution.
He also laid before the National Assembly the Third Quarterly Report of the Board of Directors of the State Bank of Pakistan on the State of Pakistan’s Economy for the year 2020-21 as required by Section 9A(2) of the State Bank of Pakistan Act, 1956.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2021
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