Govt prepares bill against the forced conversions
Ijaz Kakakhel Islamabad
The National Assembly was informed on Friday that trade and business activities with Afghanistan were going on through the notified borders.
Responding to a calling attention notice moved by Gul Dad Khan and others in the House, Parliamentary Secretary for Interior Shaukat Ali said the notified borders are Torkham, Chaman, Badini, Angur Ada, Ghulam Khan and Kharlachi.
He said the trade activities were already in progress. The movers of the calling attention emphasized the need for enhancing trade and economic relations between Pakistan and Afghanistan.
They said more crossing points should be opened between the two countries to achieve the objective.
Minister for Energy Omer Ayub Khan laid before the house the Regulation of Generation, Transmission and Distribution of Electric Power Amendment Ordinance 2021.
Two bills were also laid before the house on Friday which included the Muslim Family Laws Amendment Bill and the National Commission on the Rights of Child Amendment Bill. The chair referred the bills to the standing committees concerned.
Responding to the points raised by minorities’ members, Minister for Human Rights Shireen Mazari said a bill has been prepared against the forced conversions.
Minister of State for Parliamentary Affairs Ali Muhammad Khan said that a parliamentary committee was constituted to guarantee the rights of the minorities as per the constitution of Pakistan.
He said we respect the rights of the minority community.
PPP leader Naveed Qamar said his party will fully support any bill aimed at protecting the rights of minorities.
Minister Ali Muhammad Khan laid before the house the Annual Report of Pakistan Information Commission for the period from January 1, 2020 to 30th November 2020.
Taking the floor, he said the situation has returned to normalcy in the country after the steps taken by the government to deal with the violent protests of a religious group. He said all the roads have been opened.
He said no group can be allowed to disturb the law and order situation and dictate its terms to the government. He said neither the religion nor the constitution allows attacks on the police personnel.
The Minister recalled that both the houses of the parliament passed unanimous resolutions strongly condemning the publication of blasphemous material in France.
