Sharif’s son-in-law spews anti-Ahmedi hatred in the House

• Says officials related to Ahmadiyya are ‘threat to Pakistan’s sovereignty, Constitution, ideology’
• ‘An oath of Khatam-e-Nabuwwat should be compulsory for those in judiciary’

ISLAMABAD: In an apparent bid to shift the media focus from the recent gaffe through the federal government’s bill to amend the Khatam-e-Nabuwwat from the nomination papers, the son-in-law of former prime minister Capt (retd) Safdar on Tuesday opened salvo against the officers in the army, judiciary and other services belonging to the Ahmadiyya minority.

The surprise attack on Ahmadis by the top government lawmaker is being seen as a bid to set aside the ongoing debate among the religious circles regarding the federal government’s recent controversial move to amend the election nomination papers to omit the oath on the Khatam-e-Nabuwwat (finality of prophethood).

It is pertinent to mention here that, recently, Safdar had also made a failed effort to woo the family of Mumtaz Qadri—the assassin of former Punjab governor Salmaan Taseer—by offering fateha at his grave. He also tried to seek an apology from the assassin’s brother; however, the bid failed.

Qadri had been hanged by Nawaz Sharif government, sending shockwaves across the followers of the hardline religious group formed in the name of late Qadri.

“I demand a complete ban on the recruitment of Ahmadis in the Army, judiciary and other services,” vowed Capt Safdar while speaking on a point of order, adding that the officials related to the minority group were a “threat to Pakistan’s sovereignty”; hence, they should be removed from those positions forthwith.

Nawaz’s son-in-law did not stop there and went ahead with his outburst against the former PM, who had renamed QAU’s physics centre after Dr Abdus Salam, the only Pakistani Nobel laureate.

“I would request (Jamaat-e-Islami’s MNA) Sahibzada Tariqullah to move a resolution to rename the title of [QAU’s] department of physics, which was [recently] named after Dr Abdus Salam, an Ahmadi,” he remarked. Safdar asserted that an oath of Khatam-e-Nabuwwat should be made compulsory for those in the judiciary.

“No one from the Ahmadiyya community should be allowed to sit in an institution which is meant to impart justice among the people at large,” he said, adding that the political parties should also be made compulsory for office bearers in political parties.

“I will keep raising this issue every day in the parliament,” he vowed.

Federal Law Minister Zahid Hamid also spoke in the House and clarified again that alteration in the Khatam-e-Nabuwat declaration was a clerical error, and the government did not do it on purpose.

According to details, the government had proposed an amendment in which the Khatam-e-Nabuwwat clause was changed, much to chagrin of many political parties. The government, terming it a clerical error, restored the clause into its original form and also ordered an enquiry into the matter to probe the reasons leading to the gaffe.

LEGISLATION:

Meanwhile, the National Assembly passed ‘Transplantation of Human Organs and Tissues (Amendment Bill, 2017)’ aimed at allowing the donation of human organs or tissues, in case of accidental death.

Being a private members’ day, the bill was moved by MQM lawmakers, which was passed despite the opposition of the treasury benches.

The statement of objects and reasons says, “There are so many accidental deaths while driving motor vehicles. During such deaths, the human body is mutilated, injured or damaged… However, most of human organs or tissues are still active, even after clinical death. Some of such human organs or tissues may be transplanted to persons in need of such organs or tissues.”

 ‘OVERBILLING TO BE TREATED AS A CRIME’

Minister for Power Awais Leghari, while responding to calling attention notice, informed the House that legislation will be made to declare ‘overbilling’ as a crime. “I will share details about wrong billing and other related issues in the next session,” said the Minister, adding that all matters in power distribution companies needed to be addressed.

Leghari told the house that all matters, including overbilling, electricity theft, etc., need to be resolved.

He said the power outages have been reduced as government generated power. “There is a need to resolve the electricity theft related issue, as mere speeches never served a real purpose,” he said.

FM ASIF GRILLED IN NA:

Opposition leader Syed Khursheed Shah sought a report on the status of implementation of resolutions passed by the National Assembly during the current tenure of the PML-N government.

PTI’s MNA Shireen Mazari, on a point of order, sought reasons from the foreign minister for offering the US Pakistan’s help in operation against the Haqqani Network.

She also demanded Deputy Assistant to US President, Lisa Curtis, for giving Pakistani visa and engaging in consultation. “Lisa Curtis has written a paper along with Husain Haqqani against Pakistan’s nuclear program. Why she was given a visa,” Mazari asked.

To another matter, Minister for Parliamentary Affairs Sheikh Aftab said the FIA has initiated an inquiry into the matter related to the use of a PIA plane in a film made in Malta. “PIA Airbus was rented for filmmaking, and a probe is underway,” said the minister.

The chair sought a report from Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) within a month before the relevant standing committee.

At the end of proceedings, the house also passed a resolution urging the government to take steps to deal with the propaganda against Balochistan wisely and vigorously at international forums.