PESHAWAR, June 21: NWFP lawmakers in a resolution unanimously adopted on Thursday accused the United States of attacking a seminary in the Dattakhel area of North Waziristan on Tuesday, which left 28 people dead.
The resolution was tabled by Bashir Ahmad Bilour of the Awami National Party and Amanat Shah and Shagufta Naz of the Muttahida Majlis-i-Amal to denounce what they called interference by the US-led International Security Assistance Force in affairs of Pakistan.
The house said the attack was the result of the ill-conceived policies of the federal government.
The resolution urged the federal government to change its ‘docile’ foreign policy, resist foreign intervention and protect its citizens.
The combined opposition, particularly the Pakistan Muslim League-Q, remained silent on the content of the resolution and did not endorse the stand of Islamabad on the issue.
Syed Mureed Kazim of the Pakistan People’s Party (Sherpao) proposed inclusion of ‘condemnation of suicide bombing’ in the resolution, but the movers did not entertain the suggestion.
Zobaida Khatoon of the MMA proposed to her fellow MPAs to come out of the house and march to the US Consulate to submit a memorandum to US diplomats on the incident. Speaker Bakht Jehan Khan, however, dismissed the proposal and asked lawmakers to resume their debate on budget.
Speaking on a point of order, Abdul Akbar Khan of the People’s Party Parliamentarians urged the speaker to give ruling on a point of order regarding the election of the deputy speaker.
The speaker said he had summoned the advocate-general in the house for his opinion on the issue, but he was engaged in other pressing matters. “I have accepted his explanation. When he will be free he will come to the house. I will give my ruling after having a meeting with the advocate-general,” he added.
Opposition Leader Shahzada Gustasap Khan said the government was not taking their stance on the matter seriously. He said they had no choice but to boycott the proceedings. Opposition lawmakers then walked out of the house.
In the absence of opposition MPAs, lawmakers of the MMA made speeches in support of the budget and termed it a ‘cure for all socio-economic ills’ and a ‘blessing in disguise’. They rejected objections raised by the opposition on inequitable distribution of funds among MPAs and said each MPA had been given equal share in the Annual Development Programme.
During the tea-break, Chief Minister Akram Khan Durrani held a meeting with leaders of opposition parliamentary groups and assured them that there would be no discrimination against them in any way. He said election of the deputy speaker would be held according to the law.
Opposition lawmakers returned to the house after the break.
Minister for Science and Information Technology Hussain Ahmad Kanjo, who along with two other ministers had persuaded opposition MPAs to end their boycott, informed the house about his talks with the opposition members and thanked them for coming back to the house.
When asked that what was invalid before the intercession how it became valid after the tea-break, Abdul Akbar said the entire proceedings would stand invalid from the day he had raised the issue of the deputy speaker’s election. He said that after the ruling on the issue, the entire budgetary exercise would be no more than an exercise in futile.
Earlier, Sabira Shakira of the MMA proposed to the government to set up an effective monitoring system to maintain transparency and record of expenditures of departments.
