MQM wants to make reciting of ‘Naat’ in NA mandatory

E-Paper | June 14, 2026

ISLAMABAD: The Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) members of the National Assembly on Tuesday sought to make reciting of ‘Naat’ mandatory in the house.

Proposing amendment to rule numbers 48, 69 and 112 of the Rules and Procedure and Conduct of the National Assembly, MQM MNA Sheikh Salahuddin said reciting of Naat followed by recitation of the Holy Quran on daily basis should be made part of the rules.

“It is our duty to remember God Almighty and the last Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) together,” he added.

Another MQM lawmaker, Abdul Rashid Godil, said Sindh and Punjab assemblies were already following this practice, and “this august house has the same desire.”

Accepting the proposal, Parliamentary Affairs Minister Sheikh Aftab said nobody sitting in the house was averse to the suggestion.

However for proper drafting of the amendment, it should be sent to the committee concerned. “Being Muslims, nobody can think of opposing the proposed amendment,” said Mr Aftab.

Published in Dawn, April 29th, 2015

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Adil Jadoon

Apr 29, 2015 07:03am

What is the use reciting Naat and then going around commiting corruption and murder of the people. Please keep your beliefs to your person and dont aoppose them on others.

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Ahmed USA

Apr 29, 2015 09:00am

Great suggestion by MQM!!!

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Muhammad

Apr 29, 2015 09:22am

What a great service to the nation. Thank you very much MQM for selecting such an important issue among the other ignorable issues like absolute shortage of water, electricity, employment, not existance of mass transportation for more than 20 million city and many other such issues. You will be remembered in our history books for this great service.

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Sammy

Apr 29, 2015 09:36am

Please leave religion out of politics.

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Sana

Apr 29, 2015 10:04am

Good MQM !

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Kalyan

Apr 29, 2015 10:31am

I have been reading dawn for many years and I know that most Pakistanis are deeply religious people. Given this fact I feel politicians should be pragmatic and should keep these things to a minimum like once in a assembly session so that this does not shift the focus from their legislative duties which can improve people's lives. This phenomenon is not unique to Pakistan and I have seen many instances of this over the top spirituality by politicians in India and other nations as well.

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Ridwan

Apr 29, 2015 11:55am

I thought mqm has tried to portray itself as a secular modern party. Guess not.

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Saad

Apr 29, 2015 12:24pm

"It is our duty to remember God Almighty and the last Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) together", it surely is. But here's the thing. The NA is not owned by Muslims. It has representatives from all faiths of Pakistan. Secondly, you need to find a better place to do this as NA is not the place, how about staying back after NA session in the courtyard outside and reciting Naat so that public's hard earned money is not wasted while one person recites and hundreds pretend to listen.

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Aamir

Apr 29, 2015 03:47pm

Good initiative by MQM!

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Zohaib

Apr 29, 2015 04:35pm

dont you guys waste enough time? why not do some actually beneficial legislation

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Malik

Apr 29, 2015 06:23pm

Our political parties would spare no opportunity to play religion in every segment of our life and capitalize on it. Why not do something creative legislation for the assemblies to do, and come and attend all the sessions and help the poor people and create equality of law and equality in its enforcement. Those are the issues for assemblies not religious rhetoric.

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Sic,

Apr 29, 2015 06:46pm

@Malik. Agreed, how our MNA's love to play hypocrisy to the extreme, is this assemblies biggest forte, ask them to work overtime, just see the attendance of these people and will know better.

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Afzal Mir

Apr 30, 2015 12:21am

What happened to MQM's secularism?

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BNS

Apr 30, 2015 05:51am

Dear MQM, I am your voter, and I do not agree to your suggestion.

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Syed

Apr 30, 2015 06:50am

Patriotism and religion, the last refuge of scoundrels. (G. B. Shaw)

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Patmyownback

Apr 30, 2015 08:21am

The world is moving towards no prayers in governments institutions, but MQM of Pakistan wants to start it! Aren't daily prayers five times enough to give us wisdom, integrity, and forgiveness? Something is NOT working . The U.S. and Canada,etc. are working on Court orders on this issue! What constitutes a naturally multi-religious-multi-cultural- mulit-sect state?

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Patmyownback

Apr 30, 2015 08:22am

@Muhammad: Sarcasm noted!

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