Senate resolution condemns cartoons: Abuse of Iraqi children by UK troops denounced
By Our Staff Reporter
ISLAMABAD, Feb 13: The Senate on Monday discussed the publication of blasphemous cartoons by some European newspapers after discarding private members’ business, with most senators demanding a boycott of European goods and severing of diplomatic ties with countries where the caricatures had been published.
The Senate passed a unanimous resolution condemning British soldiers for beating up and humiliating Iraqi children. The resolution was read out by leader of the house Wasim Sajjad on behalf of all senators.
The resolution said: “The Senate of Pakistan expresses its horror and disgust on the inhuman, illegal and sadistic behaviour of the British armed forces in Iraq highlighted in a film shown by world media where they are (seen) mercilessly beating up and humiliating young and defenceless children in the streets of Iraq. The Senate condemns this cruel behaviour which is a violation of international law and norms established by Geneva conventions. The Senate expects that those guilty of this heinous offence will be severely punished in accordance with law and steps will be taken to prevent recurrence of any such act in future.”
Senators of the treasury and opposition benches urged the government to recall diplomats from Denmark and other European countries where the blasphemous cartoons had been published. They also called for taking up the issue at the Organization of Islamic Conference for adopting a joint strategy by the entire Ummah.
Farooq Naek of the PPP Parliamentarians regretted that the OIC had so far not spoken against the shameful act. He said that no action had been taken against the newspaper and the cartoonists by the Danish government. He said there should be some limits to the freedom of expression and it should not hurt the feelings and sentiments of others.
Dr Khalid Ranjha of the ruling party said that blasphemy laws did exist in Britain, France, Germany and many other European countries, but these countries were not implementing them. He said the West imposed sanctions on any country, whenever it wanted. “Why can’t we, as consumers, boycott goods from these countries?” he said.
PML’s Mushahid Hussain stressed the need for lodging the protest in an organized manner and said there was a need to counter efforts of the West to malign Islam and Muslims all over the world. He said the issue of the publication of these cartoons should be raised at all forums, including the United Nations and the European Union. He said Muslims were being targetted because they were weak.
Ilyas Bilour of the Awami National Party (ANP) termed it an attempt by the US to isolate Muslims and to gain sympathies and support of the European countries in its plan to attack Iran.
Nisar Memon of the PML said that instead of immediately taking action, the Senate should set a deadline for the countries to apologize on the incident. He termed the publication of blasphemous cartoons a violation of human rights. He, however, said that human rights violations were also taking place in Pakistan and they should first raise voice against them before criticizing others. He said that in Malir area of Karachi, the police baton-charged those who were protesting against the kidnapping of some labourers.
Prof Khurshid Ahmed of the MMA said members of the Senate and the National Assembly would hold a protest march on Tuesday from the Parliament House to the Diplomatic Enclave to register their protest over the publication of the blasphemous cartoons.
Dr Mohammad Saad of the MMA termed publication of the cartoons provocative and insulting for the Ummah. He claimed that the same cartoons had also been reproduced by some newspapers in Australia and New Zealand. He said that Pakistan should immediately withdraw its support from the so-called war against terrorism as a mark of protest.
Dr Nighat Agha, Qari Abdulah, Kulsoom Perveen, Prof Ghafoor Ahmed, Prof Sajid Mir, Raza Mohammad Raza and Kausar Firdous also spoke on the occassion.
At the outset of the Senate session, PPP Senator Farhatullah Babar said the US State Department had stated that the search of members of the entourage of Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz at the New York airport had been carried on the request of officials of Pakistani intelligence agencies. He was speaking on a point of order.
Mr Babar said it was a serious matter and the nation should be informed about why these people were first cleared by security agencies at the Islamabad Airport and why the Pakistani agencies themselves requested the US authorities to carry out the body search of members of the PM’s delegation.
Another PPP Senator, Enver Baig, said the government had failed to provide any relief to the people and the sugar crisis was still prevailing in the country. He asked the chairman to call the prime minister to the house to give a policy statement on the crisis.
Later, presiding officer Khalid Ranjha adjourned the Senate till 4pm on Wednesday.
