Senate passes resolution seeking release of Dr Aafia Siddiqui from US jail
ISLAMABAD: Chairman Senate Sadiq Sanjrani barred Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf Information Minister Fawad Chaudhry from entering the Upper House of the Parliament till he apologises over his conduct.
The chairman directed the minister to appear before the house and apologise for his non-parliamentary words. The decision was taken on the demand of Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) leader Sherry Rehman who urged to stop raising the slogans of ‘dacoits, thieves’ for smooth running of political system in the country. Fawad Chaudhry is disrespecting Senate chairman, she added.
The opposition parties also staged walkout from the House and announced not to return until information minister’s apology. The chair asked the government to brief the House about the issue of SP Tahir Dawar on Thursday, after the opposition agitated on not being informed the factual opposition, as the social media had reports of his assassination and that his body had been received byPakistan’s Consulate in Jalalabad.
He gave this ruling after Fawad agreed with the opposition that the matter about the serving officer was very important but said the Secretary Interior had informed that reports regarding the officer were yet to be confirmed. He promised to let the House know on receiving authenticated reports.
Opposition protested when he offered PPP Senator Sherry Rehman and JI’s Mushtaq Ahmad to join the investigation, if they had more information than the government. Senator Mushtaq alleged that the information was being concealed. Leader of Opposition clarified that the issue pertained not to the interior, as it happened in another country and that the photos of his tortured body were also available on social media. Meanwhile Senate on Thursday unanimously passed a resolution seeking serious steps from the government to get Pakistani scientist, Dr Aafia Siddiqui, released from the US prison, private TV channel reported. The resolution was tabled after the Chairman of the House Sadiq Sanjrani suspended routine proceedings. According to the resolution, ‘this House condemns detention of Dr. Aafia Siddiqui for such a long period…the US authorities were approached many a times for release of Dr Aafia but none of the requests were considered.” The resolution further said the government should take measures to ensure release of Dr. Aafia Siddiqui from the US prison. Monitoring Desk/ Agencies