Opposition walks out of Senate, says govt not serious about Mina stampede victims
The nation should wait for investigative report by Saudi Arabia, says Deputy Chairman
ISLAMABAD (Dunya News) – Opposition on Thursday has demonstrated a walk-out from the Senate against the government’s attitude towards Mina stampede.
Senator Aitzaz Ahsan said that the ruling party is trying to forget the issue by suppressing it. He criticised the government in his speech today in Senate session which was chaired by Deputy Chairman Abdul Ghafoor Haideri.
He not only alleged the government of corruption but also termed it insensitive and inefficient. He said that the government has left Pakistani pilgrims alone in tough times and is trying to cover the situation though Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority (Pemra).
He said that at least 300 Pakistanis are either missing or martyred in the stampede. Had the government ordered ministry to put pictures and thumb impressions of the pilgrims on website, National Database and Registration Authority (Nadra) would have solved the mystery.
Information Minister Pervez Rashid said that Aitzaz fully knows the procedure. He said that pilgrims sign a document before leaving for Hajj. However, the families who want their relatives’ bodies returned could approach the government and it would help them in the procedure. The federal minister said that pilgrims had cursed the last government for irregularities on its part.
The opposition walked out of the Senate after Pervez Rashid’s remarks. The Deputy Chairman said that the nation should wait for investigative report by Saudi Arabia. There must not be any politics over Mina stampede, he added.
Pervez Rashid made an attempt to reconcile with the opposition however, he came back and told the session that the protesting members would not attend the gathering today.
