Assembly session: Lawmakers mirror Pakistan’s divided opinion on Malala

PESHAWAR: While the teenage Nobel Peace Prize nominee, Malala Yousafzai, received accolades and recognition from across the globe, there was little attention paid to her in the Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (K-P) Assembly on Wednesday – exactly a year after she was attacked by Taliban militants. The issue was raised by Awami National Party (ANP) Parliamentary Leader Sardar Hussain Babak, who reminded the house that Malala was attacked on the same day last year. “I equate the Taliban attack on Malala to an attack on all girls of this region by the enemies of education,” he said. In the same token, he also thanked countries and organisations who supported the child, saying that Malala’s endeavours have encouraged every girl of this country. Babak said everyone should keep her vision, and work towards awareness and increasing education in society. Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) lawmaker Nighat Orakzai backed Babak and said Malala is a representation of the positive side of Pakistan. Lawmakers from her native valley of Swat, however, chose to maintain their silence. Absent ministers draw lawmakers’ ire Opposition benches in the K-P assembly were irked with the treasury benches which were mostly empty when the session started an hour after scheduled time on Wednesday. Soon after the session began, Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam Fazl lawmakers Mufti Syed Janan and Mufti Fazl Ghafoor pointed out that the house lacked required number of members. Although the required number was met later, Janan asked the speaker to prorogue the session if treasury benches were not interested in assembly business. Sardar Hussain Babak also criticised treasury benches and said there was not a single minister present. He asked the speaker to issue a ruling to ensure ministers’ presence in the house. Dir operation Jamaat-e-Islami (JI) lawmaker from Dir, Muzaffar Syed, criticised the operation being carried out by police in Lower Dir, which will continue till October 15. He said residents have already surrendered their heavy weapons under an agreement with the government and questioned the wisdom of carrying out the said operation. He was backed by JI lawmaker from Upper Dir, Mohammad Ali, who said that the elder tribesmen from Dir have always supported the government. Minister for Auqaf and Religious Affairs Habibur Rehman assured them that DIG Malakand will submit a report on this operation to the House. The session was adjourned till Friday morning. Published in The Express Tribune, October 10th, 2013.