ISLAMABAD: The Senate Chairman Mian Raza Rabbani, Leader of the House Raja Zafarul Haq, Leader of Opposition Aitzaz Ahsan and other senators Friday expressed deep concern over alleged violence against Baloch and Pakhtun students in Lahore, calling for immediate release of over 180 students lodged in Kot Lakhpat Jail.
As senators, belonging to Balochistan, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Fata blamed the Punjab and Punjabi sentiments for at least five attacks on Pakhtun and Baloch students in last three years, Aitzaz rose to clarify that it had nothing to do with Punjabi sentiments or people of Punjab or any political party, and it was an Issue of a religious group, who had also attacked his party in the past. ?But we never raised the slogan of rise Punjabi rise,? he noted.
Raza Rabbani asked Zafarul Haq and Aitzaz to get the matter resolved. However, Aitzaz insisted that the chairman Senate should straightaway talk to Punjab chief minister, get the jailed students released and the wounded shifted to hospital and cases against them quashed. Raza Rabbani wanted both to get involved and ensure its early resolution and tell him, if his intervention was needed.
During the question hour, ANP Senator Shahi Syed staged walkout from the House after he was not allowed to speak over the matter, and he was joined by some PPP and PTI senators, including Nauman Wazir Khattak and Ahmad Hassan.
?Raymond Davis killed Pakistanis and Ehsanullah Ehsan resorted to terrorist acts, yet no terrorism cases were filed against them, whereas Baloch and Pakhtun students have been booked under anti-terrorism law and jailed in Kot Lakhpat Jail and being denied medical treatment for their broken limbs even,? said the PkMAP Senator Usman Khan Kakar after the question hour.Kakar charged that they were being treated as if they were prisoners of war, or belonged to a foreign country and faced acute racial discrimination, while the Punjab government, its police and opposition looked the other way. He even alleged that the provincial government and the police were also a party to the matter. He alleged that the Punjab University had been made hostage by the militant Jamiat, which wanted to impose its own brand of politics on students, which the Pakhtuns and Balochs resisted.
01-27-2018, 11:10 AM
Issue of violence against Pakhtun, Baloch students in Lahore echoes in Senate
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