ISLAMABAD: The National Assembly on Monday unanimously passed a resolution strongly condemning the recent attack on the helicopter of Azad Jammu Kashmir (AJK) Prime Minister Raja Farooq Haider by the Indian army near the Line of Control (LoC).

The resolution was moved by Leader of the Opposition Shahbaz Sharif and endorsed by all parliamentary parties, including those on the treasury benches.

The resolution said: “This house strongly condemns the Indian military’s attack on a civilian helicopter carrying Prime Minister of Azad Jammu and Kashmir, flying within the territory of AJK on Sept 30. The bullets were fired at the helicopter from an Indian post across the LoC.”

It further said: “The Indians continue to violate the ceasefire agreement besides committing atrocities in Indian occupied Kashmir, although they have miser­­ably failed to suppress the will and the resolve of Kashmiri people who are fighting for their right of self-determination. This house strongly condemns this cowardly act of the state aggression and violation of international laws.”

Discusses sacking of 2,000 NHA employees

Speaking on the occasion, Shahbaz Sharif demanded formation of a parliamentary committee to look into frequent violations of the ceasefire agreement by Indian forces on the LoC and to condemn the Sept 30 incident of firing on the chopper of the AJK prime minister.

Former NA speaker Ayaz Sadiq condemned the incident and demanded that the Indian high commissioner be summoned to convey Pakistan’s reaction to the attack.

Information Minister Fawad Chaudhry said the Foreign Office and Inter-Services Public Relations had already condemned the attack on the AJK prime minister and if the house deemed it necessary it could form a parliamentary committee on the matter.

The Indian army opened fire at the helicopter of AJK Prime Minister Raja Farooq Haider from a post when he was travelling to a village near the LoC on Sunday.

The prime minister was travelling in the helicopter that narrowly escaped the attack near Abbaspur village.

Later, Minister of State for Parliamentary Affairs Ali Mohammad Khan said that everyone in the house believed that it was an attack not on the AJK prime minister but on Pakistan.

“Prime Minister Imran Khan, Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) chairman Bilawal Bhutto and Shahbaz Sharif are all united on the issue,” he added.

NHA employees sacking

The issue of termination of service of 2,000 employees of the National Highway Authority (NHA) also came under discussion in the house when some members belonging to the PPP moved a calling-attention notice on the issue.

The movers of the notice invited attention of the minister for communication to termination of service of 2,000 employees working with the NHA for more than 20 years, causing grave concern among the public.

One of the movers, Khursheed Ahmed Junejo, said the PTI, which had promised to eradicate joblessness in the country, had removed 2,000 employees of the NHA within 40 days of its government.

PPP leader Khursheed Shah said Prime Minister Imran Khan had assured the nation that he would provide 10 million new jobs to the unemployed people, but now the government had started removing even regular employees of Radio Pakistan, NHA and Utility Stores who had been serving there for over two decades.

Minister of State for Communication Murad Saeed apprised the house that mater was sub judice as some NHA employees had moved the court. He claimed that not 2,000 but 78 employees had been removed so far.

Later, former information minister Marriyum Aurangzeb delivered a fiery speech on the budget and recalled tall promises made by Prime Minister Khan with the nation before he came to power.

She said the PTI government, through a mini-budget, had rolled back all projects launched by the PML-N government for improvement in health, education, communication and other sectors by cutting the Public Sector Development Programme.

Published in Dawn, October 2nd, 2018