ISLAMABAD: The united opposition in the Senate on Friday staged a walk out from the proceedings in protest against the imposition of Article 245 in Islamabad by the government of Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif.

Addressing the upper house of Parliament, Senator Raza Rabbani of Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) demanded of the government to immediately withdraw Article 245 from the federal capital as it suspends the basic fundamental rights of the citizens.

“All the political parties have supported the Protection of Pakistan Ordinance (PPO) in both the houses then what was the need to impose Article 245 and summon the armed forces in the capital,” he said.

Rabbani was of the view that in presence of PPO, where the government has unlimited power, it should not have imposed the constitutional article that suspends the basic rights of the citizens.

He maintained that the opposition members also held a meeting with the prime minister a couple of days before, where they demanded to withdraw Article 245.

Resolution passed to condemn Israeli assault on Gaza

Meanwhile, the house unanimously passed a resolution to condemn Israeli assault on Gaza, demanding an end to blockade of the territory and killings of innocent Palestinian civilian.

The resolution, moved by Senator Rabbani, said that Israel was committing genocide of the Palestinian people, terming it an open violation of Geneva Convention and international human rights.

He called upon the international community to negotiate an immediate and unconditional ceasefire in Gaza.

The PPP leader also said that the Organisation of Islamic Council (OIC) should convene an emergency session in order to take effective action to stop Israeli brutality against innocent civilians of Gaza.

Leader of the House, Raja Zafarul Haq of Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) supported the resolution and said Pakistan has been making all out efforts to highlight Israeli aggression.

Earlier, members of the different political parties showed their concerns regarding the ongoing massacre of innocent Palestinian.

They said that it was an alarming situation that the killing of innocent Muslims continues in Gaza while the international community had failed to perform any role to stop the aggression of Israel in this regard.