950813

MNAs flay govt for

use of armed forces

in Bara operation

RECORDER REPORT

ISLAMABAD: The National Assembly on the opening day of its 18th session here on Sunday evening admitted an adjournment motion moved by a number of opposition members particularly the members of JUI to discuss the massacre in Bara area of Khyber Agency and the privilege motion of Sardar Muhammad Yusuf regarding misbehaviour of the General Manager PIA, Peshawar, who used derogatory remarks against the member of the National Assembly and insulted him.

After the question hour was over, Maulana Abdur Rahim rising on a point of order drew the attention of the House to the bloodshed in Bara area. He said that the government appears to be bent upon registering victories over the people. After the bloodbath in Malakand and Karachi it has decided to conquer the people of Bara area through the use of brute force. If the government is courageous enough then it should use the armed forces against India and not use the army against its own people. He regretted that the government arrested the Ulema of Bara area while they were returning from Nowshera after attending the Milli Yakjehati Council meeting. He demanded the formation of a parliamentary committee to enquire into the reasons why the government has taken up arms against its own people.

Asfandyar Wali said that the army operation in the Bara area was continuing when he rang up someone at three in the afternoon. He expressed his complete ignorance as to why the armed forces fired at the villages beyond the barricades which had been constructed by the tribesmen. He said that according to the information received by him 72 persons including women and children in the villages of Bara area have been killed while dead bodies were still being extricated from the debris of the houses destroyed as a result of firing by the armed forces. The use of brute force cannot be justified in any way. Why a political issue in the area is being handled by the use of force? He asked. The interior minister is busy in the exchange of gifts of dead bodies in Karachi and he has not cared to come to the House to tell the members about the situation in Bara area.

Maulana Abdul Ghafoor Haideri of JUI said that a deliberate attempt is being made to destabilise the country. After the so-called conquer of Karachi and Malakand, the government has chosen to launch a drive in the Bara area. The area is very sensitive and the National Assembly should hold a debate on the issue. He said, it is not known when the interior minister would be returning from Karachi or whether he would be returning in a jute bag.

Maulana Fazalur Rahman demanded that the issue should be taken up immediately. He said it was decided in the Speaker's Chamber that the adjournment motion would be moved and the government would not oppose it.

Mian Raza Rabbani, State Minister for Law and Parliamentary Affairs, said that it would be better if the motion is moved when the interior minister is present as he would be having complete knowledge of the situation.

Miangul Aurangzeb said that the government is shying away from accepting the responsibility because of the incomeptence of the minister and incomepetent they are.

Maulana Fazalur Rehman again taking the floor was booed by the opposition members and he got furious saying that the Muslim League has not supported the JUI on any issue and now they should not expect JUI to support them in their struggle for power. He said that JUI is an Opposition Party and has it own entity. Both the PPP and Muslim League have plundered the national wealth. The struggle between the PPP and the Muslim League is of plunder and power. Our struggle for democracy is very clear and we have never indulged in plundering the national wealth. We want to talk about the oppression in Bara area. We committed the crime that we did not permit Nawaz Sharif to become Prime Minister because he did not agree to the eradication of interest from the economy.

Replying to the cross talk, he said why should he fight against the rule of women. When the Muslim League had two-thirds majority why it did not make a move for making the rule of woman as unconstitutional. Now the Muslim League must face the rule of a woman. We are not going to fight for your stance.

He said that JUI is not part of the government and it is in the Opposition. If the BB could become chairman of the Foreign Affairs Committee and did not become part of the government, how could he be described as part of the government.

The Maulana then hurriedly read out the adjournment motion about the happenings in Bara area. The strongly worded motion accused the government of creating East Pakistan like situation in the country with the conquering of one area after the other.

Mahmud Khan Achakzai taking exception to the uproar in the House, castigated the behaviour of the members and strongly protested against it. He demanded that we must condemn the terrorist actions of the government in different parts of the country. It is regrettable that the Bara upheaval was brought before the House for discussion but one of the members brought in the struggle between the Muslim League and the PPP. This sort of behaviour should be condemned. "I personally condemn it and as a protest I walk out while calling upon the entire House to accompany him". However the Opposition walked out.

After the Maghreb prayers, the adjournment motion was admitted by the Speaker in view of the consensus in the House and asked the State Minister for Law to work out the modalities for discussing the issue.

Gohar Ayub Khan said that the law and order situation including the situation in Bara area, Karachi and Malakand be discussed for two to three days and the adjournment motion on Bara be taken up during the discussion and it should be ensured that the Interior Minister is present.

Gohar Ayub Khan then rising on a point of order said that the National Assembly has not transacted any worthwhile business during the tenure of 22 months of this government. It is the Opposition which raises issues as and when possible. There are 12 privilege motions and 18 adjournment motions on various important subjects which have not been taken up. The assembly has been turned into a non-functioning institution.

Sardar Muhammad Yusuf through his privilege motion complained of the misbehaviour of the General Manager, PIA, Peshawar, when he went to see him. Firstly, the security guard misbehaved with him and then the General Manager who also used derogatory language against the members of the National Assembly. "I won't mind the behaviour of the security guard, who is not aware of the position of the parliamentarians, but the offence of the General Manager calls for strict disciplinary measures.

Defence Minister Aftab Shahban Mirani said that he has all the respect for the parliamentarians and he would not oppose the motion. The Speaker referred the motion to the privilege committee.

Miangul Aurangzab complained of the insulting attitude of the Frontier Government towards the assembly members. The recent incident was the visit of the President to the Swat area to see for himself the damage caused by the floods. He said, the Frontier Government deliberately concealed the arrival of the President in Swat, his constituency, as if he would assassinate the President. "I gatecrashed and then vowed never to be present at the Airport to receive any VIP.

Mian Abdus Sattar Laleka drew the attention of the Speaker to the damage caused by rains to the sstanding cotton crop. He said that 20 percent of the standing crop has been damaged while the 80 percent crop will face a severe attack of pests. The government, except for an ad on the television, has not taken any steps to save the crop. It is the cotton crop which is responsible for the ups and downs of the GNP and if the crop is damaged once again then the economy will suffer severely, he added.

Muhammad Zafarullah Khan through a calling attention notice pointed out the detention of 12 Pakistani sailors in Somalia. The Law Minister, N.D. Khan acting on behalf of the Foreign Minister, informed the House that the government has taken different measures including contacts with the Somalian Ambassador and the United Nations for the early release of the sailors.