PA passes resolution against Lahore blast

Sana tells House intelligence-based operations being conducted;112 terrorists arrested; 410 rounded up

LAHORE

Punjab Assembly Wednesday unanimously passed a joint resolution of the treasury and opposition benches condemning the March 27 suicide blast at Gulshan-e-Iqbal Park that claimed the lives of 73 people and left 300 injured. 

The resolution expressed solidarity with Pakistan Army and law enforcement agencies in the war against terrorism. 

Reconvening on Monday after an interfaith prayer for victims of the blast, the House appeared somber as the agenda of the day was suspended by the PA speaker in light of Sunday’s blast. A resolution drafted and agreed by both benches was tabled by Law Minister Rana Sanaullah. The resolution narrated that the House had condemned the barbaric and cowardly attack in the harshest of words and is bereaved by the loss of those martyred on Sunday in the city at the occasion of Easter. It prayed for the success of law enforcement agencies, the army, and other security institutions against terrorists and their facilitators in the country and called for the measures being taken under the National Action Plan to be strengthened in the wake of the catastrophic incident.

Speaking after the resolution was passed by the House, Sanaullah told the House that the Punjab government and law-enforcement agencies had come into action of the attack and intelligence-based operations were currently underway in the province. According to the law minister, Punjab police had carried out 164 operations in the hunt for the terrorists behind the attack, the Counter-Terrorism Department (CTD) had undertaken 33 operations, and other law enforcing agencies had conducted 149 operations over a span of two days since the attack. The law minister informed that 12,490 individuals from across the province had been taken in custody for questioning and 410 of them had been arrested on basis of possible connection to the attack, adding five terrorists had also been killed in encounters and 112 ‘jet black terrorists’ had also been arrested. He apologised to law abiding citizens who had been picked up for interrogation and said this operation was needed to trace and capture the terrorists.

Perturbed by an alleged lapse of security on Sunday, Opposition Leader Mian Mehmood-ur-Rasheed speaking the assembly blasted the government for not ensuring proper security arrangements including installed CCTV cameras were in place at a park frequented by hundreds of people every day. This is part of my constituency and my house is also near the park, said Rasheed, adding he had previously made multiple requests to Punjab government to appoint local police in the area to ensure safety of the visitors. Rasheed lamented that Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif, Punjab IG, and Home Secretary were not present in the Assembly at such a grave occasion and briefing the representatives of the people. The Opposition leader criticised the conditions of patients seeking treatment in the hospital and chastised the government for focusing more on mega projects and flyovers for Lahore. It is unfortunate that even after the loss of Home Minister Shuja Khanzada in a terrorist attack, Rasheed stated, that the government has not woken up and enforced the National Action Plan in letter and spirit. He demanded an investigation take place into the assembly to establish as to why there was a lapse in security on Sunday.

JI MPA Dr Syed Waseem Akhtar warned the public in his speech in the House from making connections between Islam and the attack on Sunday as supposed purported by Western media publications. Akhtar also told the government to refrain from shutting down religious seminaries and schools as he claimed none of them promoted terrorism and violence. He claimed that there was no seminary in South Punjab contrary to reports that served as laboratories for terrorists.

PTI MPA Mian Aslam Iqbal echoed criticism that Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif should be present in the House to the brief public representatives. He called for reform of Thana culture ensuring that perpetrators do not escape the rule of law and proper security arrangements at all public spaces in the province. PPP Parliamentary Leader Qazi Ahmed Saeed also expressed similar concerns and PTI MPA Sibtain Khan decried the sealing of parks by stating that it was not the solution to the chronic problem of terrorism. PML-N MPA Hina Butt also stated that the government should appoint scholars with good repute at seminaries and mosques to avoid hate speech.

Minority political leaders including PTI MPA Shunila Ruth and PML-N MPA Shehzad Munshi meanwhile highlighted the plight of religious minorities in the country and emphasised proper arrangements for their security. Ruth pointed that dead bodies were lying on the floors of the hospitals due to over-capacity. PPP MPA Sardar Shahabuddin complained that the opposition is being thrown against the wall and their input on issues of national importance is not taken. The House will resume on Thursday (today).