Asks govt to immediately ban Indian products in Pakistan

ISLAMABAD   -   The Senate on Monday unanimously passed the resolution to condemn the derogatory remarks made against the Holy Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) by leaders of India’s ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and demanded of the government to immediately ban all Indian products in Pakistan.

The resolution also called upon the Muslim states to break-off diplomatic, economic and political relations with India. The resolution was passed after both sides of the aisle expressed their denunciation over the sacrilegious remarks of two leaders of BJP. The resolution moved by PPP Senator Salim Mandviwalla unanimously demanded of the government to immediately cut off trade, if any, with India by banning all Indian products in Pakistani markets. The government should “summon an emergency OIC Conference for recording strong condemnation and protest against the state sponsored anti-Islam and sacrilegious acts” in India, reads the resolution. It stressed the government to record strong condemnation and protests at United Nations against the spreading Islamophobia, and anti-Muslim, anti-Islamic and fascist state sponsored policies in India and other states.

The resolution said that these derogatory remarks reflect the “fascist face” of the Indian Government which deeply hurts the sentiments of the people of Pakistan, Muslims and respectful people across the world. The Senate of Pakistan is deeply concerned at the rising communal violence and hatred against Muslims in India where Muslims are being systematically stigmatized, marginalized and subjected to a well-orchestrated state sponsored physical, economic and religious assault from radical mentality in India, it said. The house through the resolution expressed its strong commitment towards defending Namoos-e-Risalat of the Last Prophet Hazrat Muhammad (PBUH) at national, regional and international fora. Before the passage of the resolution, Chairman Senate Muhammad Sadiq Sanjrani remarked that copy of resolution would be sent to the UN Secretary General with his signatures.

He said that a delegation of the upper house of the parliament would be sent to the UN for handing-over the copy of resolution to its Secretary The house asked the government to mobilize all sources and external publicity for protection of Namoos-e-Risalat (PBUH) in Pakistan and across the world. General and registering a protest in front of him. Earlier, lawmakers belonging to the treasury and the opposition taking part in the debate on the blasphemous remarks of India’s BJP leaders urged the government not only to take up the matter at the level of Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) but also suggested punitive measures by boycotting Indian products in Pakistan. They also said that Pakistan should lobby internationally to have an international law that should penalize anyone defaming or criticizing holy personalities of any religion.

Jamaat-e-Islami Senator Mushtaq Ahmed urged the government to raise the issue at the international platforms of OIC and UN. He said that Pakistan should make protection of Muslims in India a cornerstone of its foreign policy. Former Prime Minister and PPP leader Yousuf Raza Gillani labeled the day as the “black day” for the Muslims and said that the remarks of the BJP leaders have hurt the sentiments of the Muslims across the world. He said that the move of the Indian ruling party was actually meant to get the attention deviated from the issue of Occupied Kashmir. “We should not only raise the issue of Kashmir effectively (at international forums)… but also this issue as well,” he said and condemned the remarks in strong words.

Chairman Senate Sanjrani also agreed to the proposal of JUI-F Senator Maulana Attaur Rehman that the parliamentarians should go down to the Indian High Commission in Islamabad to lodge their protest. The chair remarked that the senators on Friday would take out a protest rally from Parliament House to the Indian High Commission and record their protest with it. Earlier, former chairman Senate and ruling PPP stalwart Mian Raza Rabbani withdrew a number of constitutional amendment bills, moved by him, from the house and describing the reason for his decision said he was doing this because the “Constitution and the constitutional system in Pakistan was under attack.” He said that this was not the appropriate time to make amendments in the Constitution. “It is obligatory for the house and the parliament to stand like an iron wall to defend the Constitution and the institutions of the system,” said Rabbani whose party is part of the ruling coalition in the centre.

PPP Senator Rabbani said that amendments as well as improvements could be made in the Constitution of 1973 if it remained intact. “We are seeing that the constitutional office-bearers who are defenders of the Constitution are taking pride to flout it,” he said. He also criticized the judiciary by saying that the “doctrine of reading in within the Constitution was being introduced by the courts.