ISLAMABAD: In a rare display of unity, all members of the Senate staged a walkout from the house on Monday to condemn the May 12 massacre of political workers on the arrival of the then deposed chief justice of Supreme Court in Karachi seven years ago.

Four members of the Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM), the party which was blamed by the members in their speeches for the May 12 mayhem, also joined the walkout.

“Seven years ago on this day, the then dictator and his cronies staged a bloodbath in Karachi,” said PPP parliamentary leader Raza Rabbani while speaking on a point of order on the opening day of the new session.

He said it was the “blackest day” in the country’s history.

The MQM members also staged a token walkout in protest against the government’s alleged inaction on an application of the party chief, Altaf Hussain, for his national identity card and passport.

Before walking out of the house, Tahir Mashhadi of the MQM threatened to shut down Karachi for a month if Mr Hussain was not issued the passport.

As the MQM members were going out, PML-N’s Mushahidullah Khan took the floor and asked them to expose terrorists who had carried out massacre in Karachi on May 12, 2007 since the party was in the government at the centre and the province at that time.

“The whole world calls you terrorists. The world had seen how your terrorists painted Karachi roads red with blood,” he said and the house witnessed a brief exchange of harsh words between the MQM members and Mr Khan.

On the issue of passport for the MQM chief, the PML-N senator said the UK government would not allow him to leave the country even if he was issued a green passport. He asked why the MQM chief needed a Pakistani passport after living in the UK since 1992 and acquiring the British nationality.

Saeed Ghani of the PPP criticised judiciary for taking no action over the May 12 massacre though it had taken place during the movement for restoration of independent judiciary.

Abdul Rauf of the Pakhtunkhwa Milli Awami Party urged the government to hold an investigation into the May 12 killings.

Hasil Bizenjo of the National Party criticised the PPP for not holding an inquiry into the tragedy despite remaining in power for five years.

Responding to the allegations against the party, MQM’s Nasreen Jalil said her party was also a victim of the May 12 tragedy because its 42 workers had died on the day.

She said in the past the party had faced charges like running torture cells, working for creation of Jinnahpur and killing former Sindh governor Hakim Saeed but all allegations proved wrong.

“If we are murderers and terrorists, why do you talk to us and visit Nine Zero (MQM headquarters),” she asked.

She alleged that even today 30 workers of the party had been missing and 28 had recently been killed. She asked all the parties to sit together and find out “hidden hands” which were behind creating political instability in the country and pursued the “politics of division.”

The senators also criticised Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) chief Imran Khan and Dr Tahirul Qadri of the Pakistan Awami Tehreek (PAT) for what they called working at the behest of anti-democratic forces.

Abdul Ghafoor Haideri of the JUI-F said forces like PAT and PTI were activated from time to time by those who did not want to see the country progressing.

PPP’s Farhatullah Babar asked the government to investigate who was behind Dr Qadri.

The Senate rejected a resolution moved by Mr Mashhadi for an increase in the salaries of government employees in the coming budget.

Quoting a statement by Finance Minister Ishaq Dar, Leader of the House Raja Zafarul Haq said that salaries would be increased but he could not give any commitment.

Responding to a resolution of Mr Babar, Mr Haq assured the Senate that a national commission on human rights would be set up in a month to address issues of deteriorating human rights situation in the country.

The Senate passed a bill moved by Mr Mashhadi seeking to enhance punishment for people who desecrated corpses.