LAHORE: Punjab Law Minister Raja Muhammad Basharat Tuesday presented a unanimous resolution in the Punjab Assembly, condemning the Israeli aggression against the Palestinians.
The resolution said, “Prophet (PBUH) said a Muslim who does not stop oppression as much as possible is himself a victim of it”.
Raja Basharat said, "We condemn the United States and call on 1.65 billion Muslims of 55 Islamic countries to take practical steps against the Israeli aggression. Israel is verily responsible for the deteriorating situation in Palestine, which has desecrated Al-Aqsa Mosque in violation of international law and has committed war crimes by attacking unarmed Palestinians."
The resolution called for immediate end to attacks and urged the international community to stop Israel from committing grave human rights abuses.
It said the UN Security Council must play its role in bringing peace to Palestine. The resolution recommended that the federal government should do its part to condemn and prevent the Israeli barbarism.
“The feelings and sentiments of the Pakistani people should be conveyed to the United Nations, the Organisation of Islamic Countries (OIC) and human rights organisations. The federal government is also recommended to reaffirm its political and moral support to the Palestinians and reassure them that the Pakistani people stand by them in this hour of hardship,” said the resolution.
Meanwhile, the provincial assembly unanimously passed the Punjab Compulsory Teaching of The Holy Quran Amendment Bill 2021 requiring the schools and colleges to impart compulsory education of the Holy Quran from classes 1 to 5, and compulsory study from classes 6th to 12th in the province.
The bill was originally passed during the PML-N government in 2018 but after some objections, the Lahore High Court ordered amendments to some parts of it.
The latest amendment bill has been passed with the amendments as per the Lahore High Court order.
The bill was tabled for vote count by MPAs Mian Shafi Mohammad, Khadija Umar and Sajid Ahmad Khan on the directives of Speaker Chaudhry Pervaiz Elahi which was unanimously passed.
After the passage, the speaker lauded the house for such an auspicious legislation which would provide the most vital divine guidance to the coming generations.
He also praised the then government of PML-N for passage of the bill requiring compulsory Quran teachings in schools and colleges from classes 6th to 12.
He said the Holy Quran was the code of deliverance in this world and hereafter, adding that it would enable our generations to regain their lost glory of ancestors by embarking on the course of moral, spiritual and social successes.
He recalled that the founding fathers of Pakistan, including Allama Iqbal and Quaid-i-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah had envisioned a country where people could become true practicing Muslims besides being good, successful professionals in every sphere of life.
To a query by the speaker, Raja Basharat told the house that AabPak Authority would resume work on installation of water filtration plants in the province to provide pure drinking water to the people.
The speaker expressed displeasure that the authority had been sitting idle for the last two years.
He asked the parliamentary secretary Malik Taimur Maseed what progress the AabPak project had made during the last two years.
Taimur failed to give any concrete answer to which the speaker expressed indignation.
The law minister came to the rescue of parliamentary secretary and told the speaker that the work could not be started because there had been some problems with the working of its board of governors.
