JI MNA for registration of FIR of Lahore killings

ZAHEER ABBASI & NAVEED BUTT

ISLAMABAD: National Assembly has adopted a unanimous resolution to condemn attacks and manhandling of media persons by the participants of sit-ins.

The resolution moved by Minister of State for Parliamentary Affairs Aftab Ahmed Sheikh stated that freedom of expression is a fundamental democratic right and everyone including political workers must respect it. The resolution demanded of the government to take notice of the situation and take action against those responsible. The Minister also asked Pakistan Tahreek-e-Insaf (PTI) and Pakistan Awami Tahreek (PAT) to end their sit-ins.

Talking in the ongoing debate on the prevailing political situation, Sahibzada Tariqullah of Jamaat-e-Islami (JI) appreciated Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) government for demonstrating a generous attitude towards protesters. He suggested the Prime Minister to consult his party members to resolve the issue. He said that an FIR of the Model Town incident should be lodged.

He said the PTI and PAT have made the whole country hostage. He said that the prime minister must have a deeper look on his party with a view to ensuring that there are no ‘Mir Jaffars’ and ‘Mir Saddiqs’ in it.

Pakistan Muslim League (N) Raja Javed Ikhlas stated that people are worried about the present political and economic circumstances. He said the present government has accepted the mandate of other parties. He added Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif took a principled stance and “PTI was allowed to form as government in the Khyber Paktunkhwa province.” He said a parliamentary committee has been constituted for electoral reforms and requested the PTI to present its proposals to the committee in this regard.

Minister for Information and Broadcasting Pervez Rashid said the Punjab government has taken notice of the incident and an FIR has been registered. In reply to a question about an alleged attack on PTI leader Shah Mehmood Qureshi’s residence in Multan, he said that action would be taken against the culprits according to law. He also informed the House that journalists have staged a token walkout to register their protest as they were not allowed park their vehicles in national assembly’s parking lot.

Federal Minister for Defence Khawaja Muhammad Asif said the Rangers did not allow media persons to enter their vehicles in the parking lot of Parliament and Cabinet Division. He said the vehicles of the media persons are not safe outside the Parliament area, adding that the matter would be taken up with the Rangers force.

Ijaz Jakhrani of PPP also condemned the attitude of PTI and PAT workers with media persons and said the government should take notice of it.