ISLAMABAD: The Senate on Monday passed a unanimous resolution for strong condemnation of the recent atrocities and violence of Israeli forces over the “innocent pilgrims and worshipers in Al-Aqsa Mosque and decades-old blockade of Ghaza by the Israeli forces,” and opposition senators demanded that the nationality of a Pakistani journalist, who allegedly visited Israel, be revoked.
“The house is cognizant of longstanding Israeli illegal occupation of Palestinian territories and atrocities over the innocent Palestinian people during the last 74 years in sheer violation of United Nations Security Council resolutions and international law and norms,” read the resolution moved by Mushtaq Ahmed from Jamaat-e-Islami (JI) in the Senate sitting.
Through the resolution, the house called upon the government to utilise all diplomatic and publicity resources for highlighting the Palestinian dispute on all international and regional fora in coordination with all Muslim states and prepare a roadmap for liberation of Palestinian territories.
The house further called upon the government to explore opportunity for appointing a joint representative of all Muslim states for highlighting the Palestinian dispute at international level.
The Senate also passed another resolution moved by the JI senator to express “deep dismay and shock caused by the contemptuous act of burning, tearing and desecrating the Holy Quran by Rasumus Paludan on 14th April this year in Sweden in sheer violation of international law and relevant UN resolutions.
The house asked the government to summon the ambassador of Sweden in Pakistan and convey in strong terms the sentiments of the people of Pakistan over the “provocative act and further demand stern legal action against the perpetrators.”
It also asked the government to use political and diplomatic channels for discouraging occurrence of such provocative crimes against Muslim sentiments in the garb of freedom of expression in all UN member countries.
Another resolution that received the Senate’s unanimous nod was moved by Manzoor Ahmed Kakar from Balochistan Awami Party (BAP) that reiterated to strengthen ties between Pakistan and Azerbaijan on the 30th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between the two countries.
Earlier, speaking on the floor of the house, Leader of the House in Senate Dr Shahzad Waseem said that Pakistan’s passport barred all the citizens of Pakistan from visiting Israel. “It has been clearly mentioned on our passport that Israel cannot be visited on this document.
We do not have any diplomatic relations with that country. It is an imperialist state that is unleashing highest order of tyranny on the innocent and helpless people of Palestine,” he said.
“Still, this imported government—the puppets of foreign powers who have been planted here— are leaving no stone unturned to please their masters; America and Israel,” he said.
According to Waseem, Ahmad Qureshi, who is an employee of state-run Pakistan Television Corporation (PTV), visited Israel with the patronage of the government. “This is not a small issue. Stern action needs to be taken,” he said.
Mushtaq Ahmed demanded that the nationality of Qureshi be revoked forthwith for visiting Israel. “Qureshi is assigned to a project run by an organisation of Pakistan’s military. Every Pakistani who has visited Israel—their nationality should be revoked,” he said.
The senator said the foreign minister should brief the house on the matter.
Leader of the House in Senate Azam Nazeer Tarar said he will get relevant input from the Foreign Office on this issue and inform the house accordingly. “It is a sensitive matter—we cannot rely on press clippings or whatever is being reported in the media,” Tarar added.
Meanwhile, the house passed International Institute of Science, Arts and Technology Bill 2022, moved by Irfan Siddiqui from Pakistan Muslim League Nawaz (PML-N), for the establishment of an institution to “disseminate knowledge and technology and to provide education, training and research.” The bill has already been passed by the National Assembly.
In addition, following new bills were moved in the house: Code of Criminal Procedure (Amendment) Bill 2022, Criminal Laws (Amendment) Bill 2022, Regulation of Generation, Transmission and Distribution of Electric Power (Amendment) Bill 2022, Islamabad Capital Territory Maternity Benefit (Amendment) Bill 2022, Constitution (Amendment) Bill 2022, Anti-Rape (Investigation and Trial) (Amendment) Bill 2022, Limited Liability Partnership (Amendment) Bill 2022, Control of Narcotic Substances (Amendment) Bill 2022 and Islamabad Capital Territory Prohibition of Corporal Punishment (Amendment) Bill 2022.
Chairman Senate Sadiq Sanjrani presided over the sitting.
The house is scheduled to meet again on Thursday.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2022
Comments
Comments are closed.