Lack of quorum hinders govt’s move to initiate debate on Sialkot incident

ISLAMABAD: Failure to meet quorum requirement spoiled the federal government’s move to initiate debate on the Sialkot incident – raising questions over Pakistan’s seriousness in addressing rising religious extremism.

The Advisor for Parliamentary Affairs, Dr Babar Awan presented a resolution in the assembly to trigger debate on the Sialkot Incident of December 3, in which a Sri Lankan citizen was lynched by a mob.

However, the opposition pointed out that despite the importance of such an important matter, the government’s ministers were not present and the seats of treasury benches are empty. They requested to defer the debate on the issue till Monday. Deputy Speaker Qasim Suri agreed to the demand and adjourned the session to meet again on Monday.

Earlier, Dr Awan informed the House that the Sialkot tragedy affected the country’s image abroad and it has raised questions on the global face of Pakistan.

“I on the behalf of the government condemned the incident in strictest terms,” he said.

While talking about the progress which has been made with regard to Sialkot incident, he informed the house that all the accused have already been arrested and Challan into this effect would be presented to the ATC court.

He said the ATC court under the law is bound to issue a judgment in seven days. He expressed his hope that the court and the police would act as per the law of the country with regard to Sialkot incident.

Dr Awan said both houses of the Parliament, the National Assembly and the Senate, need to play their role to remove shortcomings in the criminal system of the country. He said there exist lacunas in the system as a result of which timely judgments in criminal cases continue to be an issue.

Dr Awan quoted an example of APS tragedy of Peshawar, the cases of which are still in process in the courts. Moreover, he also quoted famed criminal cases like Motorway rape case, Zainab Murder case and Noor Mukadam murder case in which cases were not disposed of timely as per the wishes of the general public.

He said, unfortunately, there are also factors that discourage policing and this thing affects the moral of the police as a consequence. He said questions are being raised on the law and justice in the country and every institute need to play its role to resolve the matter into this effect.

Read more: Sialkot lynching case: ATC sends 18 more suspects on 15-day physical remand

“I trigger debate under rule 259 to do debate on the matter by moving a resolution to suspend all the agenda of the House.” he said.

MNA Ahsan Iqbal of Pakistan Muslim League Nawaz when given floor stated that Sialkot incident is a very important matter on which the entire nation is saddened.

On the other hand he also pointed out lack of interest of the treasury benches over the matter and said that the interior minister who was supposed to be here to give his policy statement on the matter but isn’t present in the House.

Moreover, he said the minister of information is also not present in the House.

“The debate on the issue should be deferred till Monday and the presence of the relevant ministers should be made sure in the House,” he said.

At this point, Dr Darshan pointed out the quorum which was found incomplete when the count was made and the sitting was adjourned to meet again on Monday.

Meanwhile. Interestingly, MNA of PTI from Karachi, Shakoor Shad had been holding a placard in hands in the House on which it was inscribed: “Let Lyari live. Give it gas and electricity.”