PESHAWAR, Jan 14: The NWFP Assembly has admitted an adjournment motion against the remarks made by Dr Mohammad Tufail Hashmi, adviser to the Federal Shariat Court, against the Hudood laws in his book on the Hudood Ordinance, 1979.
Speaking on his motion, Pir Mohammad Khan said that a Muslim could not deny the validity of the Hudood laws mentioned in the Holy Quran. The mover said that Mr Hashmi's stand on the Hudood laws would encourage the anti-Islamic forces.
Endorsing the motion, Maulana Mujahid Al-Hussaini said that all those people who were opposing the Hudood laws were infidels. Deputy Speaker Ikramullah also supported the motion and asked the government to take a stern action against Mr Hashmi 'for making a mockery of the Hudood laws'.
Speaker Bakhat Jehan Khan admitted the motion for a detailed discussion. Mukhtiar Ali from the opposition benches drew the attention of the chair towards the continuing absence of Syed Amanat Ali Shah, Maulana Israrul Haq and Tajul Amin from the house and asked the chair to bring them back to the house.
Protesting the 'lukewarm' attitude of the treasury benches, the opposition MPAs walked out of the house. Later, speaking on a call-attention notice, Shagufta Naz of the Muttahida Majlis-i-Amal drew the attention of the house towards allotment of hostel rooms to girls and boys in the same building of the Khyber Teaching Hospital in Hayatabad Township. She said that boys and girls should be accommodated in separate buildings.
On another call-attention notice, Nighat Yasmin Orakzai of the Pakistan Muslim League-Q complained against the shortage of doctors and paramedical staff in the emergency bloc of the Lady Reading Hospital.
Health Minister Inyatullah Khan said that both the women MPAs had pointed out genuine problems. The government was trying its best to solve these problems at the earliest, he said.
Bashir Ahmed Bilour, on yet another call-attention notice, informed the house that the Lady Reading Hospital's administration and the police concerned had failed to recover the baby kidnapped two months ago from the gynaecological ward of the Lady Reading Hospital.
Mr Inyatullah Khan, while announcing a fresh inquiry into the kidnapping incident, assured Mr Bilour that the government would present the report after two weeks to the house. The house also passed with minor amendment the North-West Frontier Province Prosecution Service (Constitution, Functions and Powers) Bill, 2004.
