Resolution to expel French envoy tabled in Pakistan House
A resolution was tabled in the lower house of the Parliament on Tuesday for the expulsion of the French ambassador from Pakistan over the issue of blasphemous cartoons being published in the European country.
Amjad Ali Khan of the ruling Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party presented the resolution in the National Assembly with Speaker Asad Qaiser in the chair.
Technically, it was not an official document as it was moved by a member in his private capacity but it was accepted for discussion.
The resolution condemned the publication of blasphemous caricatures by French magazine Charlie Hebdo in September last year and expressed regret over the French's president "encouragement of the elements hurting the sentiments of the hundreds of millions of Muslims in the name of freedom of expression".
"The House condemns the publication of insulting sketches by the controversial French magazine Charlie Hebdo and Muslims around the world had also expressed outrage at the publication of the sketches," the resolution added.
It stated a debate should be held in the House on the expulsion of the French ambassador from Pakistan over the issue of caricatures.
"This House also demands that the state should decide matters of international relations and no person, group or party can exert unnecessary illegal pressure," according to the resolution.
It said all European countries in general and France in particular should be made aware of the seriousness of this issue of blasphemy. The resolution said that the issue should be raised collectively on international forums while discussing the issue with all Muslim countries.
The main Opposition Pakistan Muslim League Nawaz (PML-N) and Jamiat Ulemae-Islam (JUI-F) attended the session but the Pakistan People's Party boycotted it.
Ahsan Iqbal of PML-N demanded that the resolutions should be presented by the prime minister or some minister to make it an official document and the government should bring a new resolution after discussion with the opposition.
"We want to cooperate with the government on this sensitive issue but cannot support the resolution in the current form," he said.
Minister for Planning Asad Umar welcomed the offer for cooperation and said the government was ready to delay the voting in order to discuss the resolution with the opposition.
Speaker Qaisar said that he would like to give time to the House for discussion to come up with the consensus document and adjourned the session until Friday.
TLP chief released
Giving in to the pressure mounted by radicals, Saad Hussain Rizvi, the chief of the recently proscribed Tehreek-i-Labbaik Pakistan (TLP), was released from Lahore jail on Tuesday.