News
Saturday, February 04, 2012
Loopholes in laws helping outlawed outfits: Malik* PML-Q’s Waqas Akram criticises interior minister over rallies of banned organisations
By Tanveer Ahmed
ISLAMABAD: Interior Minister Rehman Malik on Friday stressed the need for improving law to control activities of banned organisations.
Malik told the National Assembly that the delay in approval of an amendment to the Anti-Terrorism Act was the main reason behind banned outfits’ holding rallies across the country.
He was replying to a point of order raised by Sheikh Waqas Akram of Pakistan Muslim League-Quaid (PML-Q) and Sahibzada Fazal Karim of Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N). Malik said that revamping of laws was the solution but an amendment bill had been lying with the Senate standing committee for the past two years.
Earlier, Sheikh Waqas Akram said that Rehman Malik had lied before the cabinet committee that the provincial government was responsible for the rallies of the Defence Council Pakistan (DCP). “This is a shame for the interior minister. How can you fight the war against terror, if you are unable to stop rallies of banned outfits in the country?” Akram added.
Fazal Karim endorsed the view of Waqas Akram and urged the government not to allow banned outfits to hold rallies in the country.
In response, Malik said that these organisations had been rallying by changing their names. He assured the House that action would be taken if any rally was held in the federal capital.
“Revamping of laws is the only solution to the problem and parliament is the authority which can do that,” he added.
Earlier, Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gilani announced the grant of one additional basic pay to doctors and paramedical staff of government hospitals from January 1 in addition to their existing salaries.
Speaking in the National Assembly on Friday on a point of order raised by different members regarding the strike of doctors and paramedical staff, the prime minister said that several meetings were held in this regard to resolve their problems immediately.
He said that the announcement of granting one additional salary was part of the government’s efforts to provide better facilities to them.
In addition, the National Assembly was informed that despite the devolution of health subject to the provinces, the federal government was taking steps to check the use of spurious drugs and quacks in the country.
Responding to a call attention notice moved by Nawab Abdul Ghani Talpur and others, Minister for Vocational and Professional Training Riaz Hussain Pirzada told the House that district health and drug officers in the provinces were responsible for arresting quacks and verifying their degrees.
He said that the Islamabad Capital Territory administration had stepped up its efforts to check activities of quacks in the federal area and raids had been conducted in different sectors.
Meanwhile, the government once again deferred presentation of the 20th Amendment Bill until Monday. The bill was on the agenda of the day, however, was deferred.
Religious Affairs Minister Syed Khursheed Shah said that the bill would be moved on Monday and would receive the opposition’s support.
Courtesy www.dailytimes.com.pk