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By Asim Yasin
Wednesday, February 23, 2011
ISLAMABAD: As the Raymond Davis issue continues to remain the focus of nation’s attention a PPP MNA from FATA, Akhunzada Chattan, boycotted the National Assembly session on Tuesday in protest against what he called discriminatory attitude towards the tribal people by maintaining silence over the drone attacks in which hundreds of people have died so far.
Akhunzada Chattan, on a point of order, expressed his dismay over maintaining silence on the continuing drone attacks. “Two people were killed by an American national in Lahore and there was loud protest in the country but no body raises the issue of drone attacks on the tribal people,” he said.
He questioned whether those killed in these attacks did not deserve any attention. “How much blood of the tribal people will be spilled,” he asked. On another point of order, PML-Q legislator Sheikh Waqas Akram expressed concern over an upcoming public meeting of a banned outfit in Jhang city on February 25.
He said thousands of activists falling in schedule-IV of the Constitution are expected to participate in the meeting although the security agencies have opposed the holding of such rally. Names of the participants and their pictures are being displayed on the banners in the city and in other parts of the province, he said.
He urged the federal government to take notice of the illegal gathering being held with the backing of the Punjab government. Sheikh Waqas said that he has written to the Punjab chief minister Shahbaz Sharif and interior minister Rehman Malik but they have not responded.
He said allowing banned outfits to operate freely was a violation of the anti-terrorist act and meant to undermine the sacrifices rendered by security personnel in the fight against terrorism. The MNA said under the law activists of banned outfits could not even move to other places without prior permission of the competent authority.
Wednesday, February 23, 2011
ISLAMABAD: As the Raymond Davis issue continues to remain the focus of nation’s attention a PPP MNA from FATA, Akhunzada Chattan, boycotted the National Assembly session on Tuesday in protest against what he called discriminatory attitude towards the tribal people by maintaining silence over the drone attacks in which hundreds of people have died so far.
Akhunzada Chattan, on a point of order, expressed his dismay over maintaining silence on the continuing drone attacks. “Two people were killed by an American national in Lahore and there was loud protest in the country but no body raises the issue of drone attacks on the tribal people,” he said.
He questioned whether those killed in these attacks did not deserve any attention. “How much blood of the tribal people will be spilled,” he asked. On another point of order, PML-Q legislator Sheikh Waqas Akram expressed concern over an upcoming public meeting of a banned outfit in Jhang city on February 25.
He said thousands of activists falling in schedule-IV of the Constitution are expected to participate in the meeting although the security agencies have opposed the holding of such rally. Names of the participants and their pictures are being displayed on the banners in the city and in other parts of the province, he said.
He urged the federal government to take notice of the illegal gathering being held with the backing of the Punjab government. Sheikh Waqas said that he has written to the Punjab chief minister Shahbaz Sharif and interior minister Rehman Malik but they have not responded.
He said allowing banned outfits to operate freely was a violation of the anti-terrorist act and meant to undermine the sacrifices rendered by security personnel in the fight against terrorism. The MNA said under the law activists of banned outfits could not even move to other places without prior permission of the competent authority.