ISLAMABAD - The National Assembly (NA) on the first day of its 14th session unanimously passed a resolution to condemn strongly the brutal Israeli strikes against the Palestinian people of Gaza, including unarmed civilians, innocent women and children.
The resolution, which was passed at the end of around five-hour long session, also called upon the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) to convene an emergency session in order to take effective action to stop Israeli brutality against innocent civilians forthwith.
The house also expressed its deep concern at the brazen and blatant violation by Israel of Security Council resolution, which has called for immediate suspension of Israel activities. “The house also calls upon the international community to negotiate immediate and conditional ceasefire in Gaza,” says the resolution, adding that it also called on Israel to completely halt its air, ground and naval offensive, remove its forces from the area, and end blockade of Gaza.
It also called upon to ensure the immediate resumption of negotiations for achieving a comprehensive peace agreement, providing inter-alia for establishment of a viable and geographically contiguous Palestine state based on pre-1967 borders with Al-Quds Al-Sharif as its capital.
The house, in the resolution, appreciates the action of the government for donating US $1 million to URRWA for providing material support, especially food and medicine, to the people of Palestine.
“It also called upon the Muslim Ummah to focus, in parallel with political initiatives already taken, on direct and tangible support for the affected persons, by providing substantial financial assistance to alleviate their immense sufferings and meet their growing humanitarian needs,” says the resolution, which was passed after thorough discussion on it.
Advisor to PM Sartaz Aziz, who read out the resolution, also laid the policy statement in the house and said that Israeli acts are “unprovoked aggression.”
He said that the government played its role effectively by raising the issue on various international forums and noted that stance of the government is reflection of aspirations of people of Pakistan.
The treasury lawmakers taking support of business advisory committee remained stuck to their stance for conducting discussion on Palestine and some other important issues only.
Two opposition parties including MQM and Jamaat-e-Islami were in favour to speak on Gaza situation first and later on article 245.
Opposition Leader Syed Khursheed Shah in the beginning threatened to stage a walkout from the session if the government avoided debate on article-245 but later he dropped the idea of walkout.
“The house must pass a strong worded resolution in favour of Palestinians, which would be enough to convey the sentiments of the house but article-245 should also be discussed,” he said, adding that this message should not be given that parliament is divided on the issue.
The opposition leader also grabbed the floor when JUI-F Chief Maulana Fazlur Rahman remarked that opposition wanted to delay debate on Gaza issue. Shah rushed to clarify that Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) was the pioneer to highlight the cause of Palestinians.
He further asked the chair to further extend the session against the plan to prorogue it on August 12, as the important political matter would go to streets instead of being discussed on the floor of the house.
PkMAP Chief Mahmood Khan Ackakzai in his views said that both the article 245 and Gaza issue are the top priority matters to be discussed in the house as efforts against democracy need to be deliberated upon.
“There is need to establish a democratic front against all those endangering democracy,” he said, adding that he would not like to stay in a country that would be ruled unconstitutionally.
Maulana Fazlur Rahman said that there is also need of unanimous thinking on Palestine issue. He also asked the PTI to leave their concerns about four constituencies and divert their energies for Palestinian people.
The MQM staged a walkout from the house against the raid of Rangers at Dr Farooq Sattar’s house in Karachi. “A raid was conducted on Farooq Sattar’s residence on late night...We demand probe into it,” said Abdul Rashid Godil, a senior MQM lawmaker.
PTI’s lawmaker Shireen Mazari on a point of order registered a strong protest against the threatening call of house arrest to her. “I received a threatening message of house arrest...When I called on the number from where I was sent the message, the person said he was ordered to convey this message,” she said and asked the chair to conduct inquiry into this matter.
Speaker Iyaz Sadiq immediately took the floor and ensured her for enquiring the matter. AML chief Sheikh Rasheed Ahmed on his turn also supported opposition leader for debating article 245 immediately after adopting a condemnation resolution against Israeli brutalities.
Earlier, lawmakers from minority raised the voice against back-to-back killing incident of their community at different places.