ISLAMABAD, July 19: Opposition members in the Senate on Monday staged a token walkout to condemn an attempt on the life of Muttahida Majlis-i-Amal MNA Maulana Akhtar Sheerani and the poor law and order situation in the country.
Speaking on points of order, several senators belonging to both the opposition and the treasury benches condemned the attack and termed it an act of terrorism. Sanaullah Baloch of the Balochistan National Party criticized the government for its 'failure' to maintain the law and order in the country in general and Balochistan in particular.
He said the whole province had been made a prison where people were feeling suffocated. Criticizing the Police Order, he pointed out that even a constable was not answerable to the provincial government as he had been put under a direct control of the federal government.
Dr Khalid Ranjha of the ruling Pakistan Muslim League said the entire house condemned the incident and therefore the opposition members should not make it an issue of provincialism.
Information Minister Sheikh Rashid Ahmed informed the house that two persons had been arrested in connection with the attack on Maulana Sheerani, adding that one of them had also given a confessional statement. Maulana Sheerani, he said, was a respected scholar and had rendered great services for the cause of Islam and Pakistan.
The minister said the opposition members should appreciate that the culprits had been arrested in less than 24 hours of the attack. He said a report on the incident would be presented before the Senate.
Prof Ghafoor Ahmed of the MMA, speaking on a point of order, raised the issue of the recent increase in the gas tariff and termed the decision anti-people. He alleged that the government had increased the tariff on the instructions of the International Monetary Fund and the World Bank.
He said contrary to the assurance Finance Minister Shaukat Aziz had given that no mini-budget would be presented, the government had increased the gas tariff. He asked the finance minister, who was present in the house, to withdraw the increase. Deputy Chairman Khalilur Rahman rescued the finance minister by stating that a minister was not required to give reply to a point of order.