The Senate and the National Assembly both condemned the violence on May 9 and paid glowing respect to the armed forces.
On Monday, both the House of Representatives and the Senate voted resolutions denouncing the May 9 attacks on government offices and military posts across the country.
Without naming Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf or its chairman by name, the resolutions condemned “a political party” for its actions against national security institutions that “crossed all limits” and “flout[ed] the Constitution.
The National Assembly resolution introduced by Defense Minister Khawaja Asif called for the criminal proceedings against the accused to be conducted in accordance with the Army Act. Claims of human rights violations in this context were dismissed as unfounded, it said.
Asif stated that the culprits of the tragedy of May 9 be tried under the Army Act, and that a political party and its chairman had crossed all limits in their efforts against national security institutions by disregarding the Constitution of Pakistan and the law.
The resolution stated, “the actions of this political party and its leader caused irreparable damage to the country, state, and state institutions,” and called for swift action.
The resolution states that this party and its leader actively worked to undermine the United States.
Moreover, “other leaders and workers of that party are also unable to bear the burden of the anti-Pakistan activities of this party and its leader,” it said. To quote the House: “The House declares that no human rights were violated during the action against the evil and criminal elements, and the accusations and propaganda of a political party in this regard are based on falsehood, lies, and slander.”
The resolution made clear that forces everywhere were empowered to take action against anyone responsible for targeting military sites. That’s why “immediate punishment under the Pakistan Army Act 1952 should be meted out to those responsible for these incidents.”
But the Jamaat-e-Islami (JI) was against civilians being tried in military court. JI MNA Maulana Abdul Akbar Chitrali questioned the success of the government and the court system.
“The Jamaat-e-Islami opposes the demands of conducting trials in military courts,” Chitrali said in his address to the house. However, Defense Minister Asif said, “We have not made any new law [for the trials of the culprits].”
The minister said that 85 jets at the PAF base in Mianwali were targeted in an arson attack. “How could anyone put up with the martyrs being mocked? We believe our institutions have been polarized; they have either been assaulted from within or without, he said.
Adoption by the Senate
The Senate passed a resolution unanimously praising the military for their efforts to protect the country from both foreign and domestic enemies. The resolution was introduced by Minister of State for Law Shahadat Awan. The resolution sharply criticized the violent vandalism and arson that took place on May 9.
It called for the prosecution and punishment of individuals involved in the assaults’ preparation, execution, and instigation. In the wake of this tragedy, the Senate issued a statement expressing unflinching support and solidarity for the military forces and other security authorities. The resolution also included a message of support for the victims’ loved ones.
In his criticism of the opposition’s position on the resolution, Senator Asif Kirmani brought up the PTI government’s pledge to provide five million homes and ten million jobs.
During a heated debate in the Senate, he declared, “Pakistan Army is our red line and the May 9 attacks showed their fascist face.” The PTI MPs loudly protested his statement. The PTI legislators and Kirmani also got into some heated arguments.
Budget
In the meantime, the Senate budget debate has begun. Budget numbers were questioned by opposition leader Dr. Shehzad Wasim, who claimed that the government’s performance during the previous year could be shown in the Economic Survey 2023.
Wasim claimed that the “so-called experienced government of 13 parties had failed in every sector” after the country’s gross domestic product growth rate dropped from 6% to a dismal 0.29 percent in just one year. In addition, he said, inflation had risen to 39 percent.
Sen. Waleed Iqbal claimed that the budget had been presented but that no funding had been allocated.
Senator Tahir Bizenjo claimed that Balochistan was not provided for in the proposed spending plan.
