LAHORE, March 1: The Punjab assembly on Thursday unanimously adopted a resolution to condemn the murder of Social Welfare Minister Zille Huma Usman and to pay homage to her.
Law Minister Muhammad Basharat Raja presented the resolution, terming the murder of the minister from Gujranwala a great tragedy. It said the late minister was a hardworking and amiable person who rendered `unforgettable political and social service’.
The house would always feel her absence, the resolution said, praying for the departed soul and fortitude to the family.
The house also offered fateha for Ms Zille Huma, the victims of Samjhota Express bombing, Mr Adnan Shahid, editor of The Post, and those killed in various incidents related to kite flying during Basant celebrations
Speaker Afzal Sahi dropped other items on the house agenda after the adoption of the resolution and adjourned the session till Friday morning.
Earlier, a number of members from both the treasury and opposition benches, besides Mr Sahi, paid rich tributes to the minister who they said was at the forefront of struggle for women rights.
Some women members objected to the usage prefix `Moulvi’ with the killer’s name and said his action had nothing to do with Islam.
The law minister said the members who spoke on the occasion while remaining above their political affiliation, represented the entire assembly. He said challan of the case had been completed and submitted before the court for trial. The government would request the court to conduct the trail on a daily basis, he said.
He said the government would properly pursue the case in the trial court and at all the appellate fora to ensure punishment to the killer according to the law.
The speaker said Ms Zille Huma was an efficient parliamentarian who used to attend the assembly sessions with full preparations. She always maintained sanctity of the house.
Opposition Leader Qasim Zia said the late minister was a trusted colleague of the chief minister who should have attended the session to pay her homage. It would have been better had the resolution also demanded stern punishment for the killer so that no-one else could dare commit such a heinous crime in future, he said.
He said the government must take stock of the conditions in the province, adding he would give details of the worsening law and order during a debate on the subject.
Mr Zia said the late minister was struggling for women rights till her untimely death. The provincial government should take measures to curtail trends creating hatred against women, he demanded.
Farzana Raja of the Pakistan People’s Party termed the killing the murder of women rights. The killer, she said, represented an `organised gang’ working to deter women from contributing to the national progress.
PPP’s Uzma Bukhari said the murder was a source of concern for all women members of the assembly. She vowed to advance the mission of the late minister.
Minister Chaudhry Zaheer said Ms Huma was a committed political activist and pledged that PML leaders would honour her commitment to the party and mission of protecting women rights.
Minister Chaudhry Iqbal said the murder of Ms Huma could neither be justified on religious grounds nor on the moral. She belonged to a veteran Muslim League family, he added.
Minister Saeed Akbar Nivani regretted that the killer had attempted to link his act with Islam. He urged religious leaders to teach tolerance and humanity to their students.
Chaudhry Asghar Gujjar of the Muttahida Majlis-I-Amal demanded the government should announce a compensation package for the children of the late minister.
MMA’s Arshad Baggu objected to the exchange of smiles between some members of the treasury benches.
OATH: Newly-elected Imran Pervaiz from PP-214 took an oath as the member of the house, APP adds.
Speaker Afzal Sahi administered the oath.
Later, Mr Pervaiz visited the speaker’s chamber to pay a courtesy call to Mr Sahi. —Intikhab Hanif