Minister of State for Parliamentary Affairs Ali Muhammad has said that the federal government is committed to protect life and property of minorities. While speaking on the floor of the National Assembly, the minister said that all the citizens of Pakistan are equal while the federal and provincial governments are responsible to protect the rights of the minorities. About the ransacking of Hindu temples in Ghotki district of Sindh, the minister said that it is responsibility of the Sindh government to protect the life and property of minorities there.
Earlier, speaking on a point of order, Parliamentary Leader Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) Khawaja Muhammad Asif while raising the issue of ransacking of Hindu temples in Ghotki district said that minorities are equal citizens of Pakistan and it is responsibility of the state to protect their rights. "The protection of the rights of the minorities is same as the protection of my rights," he added.
The PML-N leader said that nobody is above the law and law will take its course. He expressed the confidence that the Sindh government will take the requisite steps to control situation in Ghotki. The minorities' members strongly condemned the ransacking of temples in Ghotki. They said that Pakistan is their motherland and they will not leave it. They termed the incident as a conspiracy against the country. They said they cannot think of blasphemy. They, however, said if anybody has committed blasphemy, the culprit should be given punishment after investigation as per the law.
Jai Parkash said that a principal of Hindu community is running a private school and a student of 8th class has accused him of blasphemy. He said that first information report (FIR) has been lodged against the principal. He said that the government should arrest those elements who are involved in ransacking of Hindu temples. Ramesh Kumar, Dr Darshan and Lal Chand also spoke on the matter.
Abdul Shakoor of JUI-F said that Islam does not allow attacks on worship places or extremist acts against minorities. He said that Islam teaches to protect the holy places of all religions. The speaker National Assembly said that entire Parliament stands for the protection of rights of minorities. Minister for Communication Murad Saeed regretted the recent statements made by PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari and Sindh Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah. He said the politics of those who plundered the national exchequer will come to an end but the federation of Pakistan will stay intact at all costs.
The minister claimed that money reserved for development projects of Karachi was laundered. He said that all political parties collectively raised voice for the plight of oppressed Kashmiri people and exposed the evil face of Narendra Modi-led Indian government. Responding to Murad Saeed, PPP leader Abdul Qadir Patel said that his party has saved Pakistan and federation through rendering sacrifices. He said that PPP had freed Karachi from "Article AK-47" and that the incumbent government of PTI is only busy in political point-scoring. In a reference to the Prime Minister, he taunted, "The Great Britain had given birth to Newton (famous scientist) but we have U-turn." The PPP leader further said, "Space mission of India failed while the mission Khalai Makhlooq (aliens) also failed in our county."
As many as eleven bills were introduced in the National Assembly, which were referred to relevant standing committees for further deliberation. These included the Press, Newspapers, News Agencies and Book Registration (Amendment) Bill, 2019, the Criminal Law (Amendment) Bill, 2019, the Islamabad Club (Administration (Amendment) Bill, 2019, the Islamabad Rent Restriction (Amendment) Bill, 2019, the Pakistan Standards and Quality Control Authority (Amendment) Bill, 2019, the Transfer of Offenders (Amendment) Bill, 2019, the Islamabad Transfusion of Safe Blood (Amendment) Bill, 2019, the Chemical Fertilizers (Development Surcharge) (Amendment) Bill, 2019, the Controller General of Accounts (Appointment, Functions and Powers) (Amendment) Bill, 2019, the Safeguard Measures (Amendment) Bill, 2019 and the Pakistan Academy of Letters (Amendment) Bill, 2019. The proceedings of the house also remained suspended for one hour due to lack of quorum. Abdul Qadir Patel of the PPP pointed out the quorum.
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