July 29, 2007	Sunday	Rajab 13, 1428

ISLAMABAD, July 28: An opposition member on Saturday submitted an adjournment motion to the Senate Secretariat seeking a discussion on the suicide attack and incidents of violence which took place in the capital on Friday.

Senator Sadia Abbasi of the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML- N) submitted the adjournment motion under Rule 74 of the Rules of Procedure and Conduct of Business in the Senate 1988.

The motion states that “the recent spate of suicide bombings and bomb blasts all over Pakistan is indicative of large-scale unrest and dissatisfaction amongst the people over the prevailing state of affairs. The underlying causes of this violence need to be exhaustively discussed so that meaningful measures may be suggested.”

Earlier, Ms Abbasi also submitted an adjournment motion seeking discussion on the United States’ threat to carry out air strikes inside Pakistani territory. In her motion, she states that the US threat is a “blatant violation” of the territorial integrity and sovereignty of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan.

“It is a violation of international law and deserves an appropriate response befitting and an independent and proud nation fully capable of defending the frontiers,” Ms Abbasi said.

Sources told Dawn that the opposition members belonging to other political parties were also planning to move similar motions to both the houses of the parliament to bring the matter under discussion.

President of the Muttahida Majlis-i-Amal (MMA) Qazi Hussain Ahmed and Opposition Leader in the National Assembly Maulana Fazlur Rehman had already stated that the US wanted to carry out military operation in the tribal areas on one pretext or the other.

The sources said the government was planning to convene the session of the Senate in the second week of August. Political experts believe that the next sessions of the Senate as well as the National Assembly, which has already been summoned to meet on Monday, are expected to be stormy and noisy due to the recent happenings including the military operation in Lal Masjid and Madressah Hafsa and restoration of Chief Justice Iftikhar Mohammad Chaudhry.

The opposition members had already submitted a resolution to both the houses on the Supreme Court judgment restoring the chief justice. The resolution submitted to both the houses states: “This house appreciates and congratulates the nation on the historic judgment of the Supreme Court on the petition of Chief Justice Iftikhar Mohammad Chaudhry announced on July 20.”

Opposition Leader in the Senate Raza Rabbani had stated that they had moved the resolution to express the sentiments of the people and to pay tributes to the tremendous struggle of the people led by the lawyers for the independence of judiciary. On the other hand, Minister of State for Information Senator Tariq Azeem had stated that it was the right of the opposition members to move a resolution in the parliament, but it was up to the house to decide about it after holding a debate. He said the government had already welcomed the SC decision believing that it would strengthen the judiciary.

The opposition senators had also submitted two motions to the Senate Secretariat seeking discussion on the issues of the alleged Rs92 million embezzlement in Zakat fund and leasing of valuable land at a throwaway price by the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) in Karachi.

PPP CONDEMNATION: Information secretary of the People’s Party Parliamentarians (PPP) Sherry Rehman has denounced the latest incident of terrorism that claimed 15 lives and left 53 injured in Islamabad.

In a statement issued from London and released to the media here, Ms Rehman expressed concern over the rise in suicide attacks across the country. “In the month of July alone, more than 225 innocent lives became victim of terror attacks across the length and breadth of the country. Every passing day adds to the casualty figures. The country has never witnessed such a heightened level of instability and this is all thanks to the regime’s carrot and stick policy towards the extremists and militants who now go about their business casually right under the nose of the regime,” she said.

“Pakistan is a nation under attack for over five years now. The citizens are battling on military, social and economical fronts. Suicide bombers have successfully developed a strong network across the country freely targeting citizens whether it is a volatile city like Karachi or a high security zone like Islamabad.

Similarly, years of efforts by successive military regimes has divided the country into ethnic and sectarian lines, while economically people find themselves struggling with high food inflation and lack of access to basic necessities like health, housing and transportation services,” she added.