lawmakers demand action against Hindu colleague's attacker in Pakistan

By PHP Staff
Tuesday, March 01, 2011

(Photo : Hindu Parliamentarian from PPP  Mr.Lal Chand Hokrani, Pakistan)

Pakistani parliamentarians from the treasury and the opposition benches today demanded strict action against those who fired at the vehicle of a Hindu lawmaker in southern Sindh province earlier this week.

Islamabad : Ruling Pakistan People's Party lawmaker Lal Chand informed the National Assembly or lower house of parliament that the staff of a toll plaza at Jamshoro in Sindh fired indiscriminately at his vehicle on Sunday, even though they were informed that it was a parliamentarian's car. Employees of the toll plaza fired at Chand’s vehicle after the driver allegedly failed to pay the toll tax. The lawmaker demanded strict action against those involved in the incident. Chand's demand was backed by several parliamentarians from the treasury and the opposition benches. Lawmaker Manwar Talpur said Lal Chand had a narrow escape as he was sitting in the rear of the vehicle. Demanding action against those responsible, Talpur said it was a "big incident" and could not be ignored. Religious Affairs Minister Khursheed Shah said those responsible should be brought to justice and dealt strictly so that no one would dare to act in such a manner in future. Condemning the incident, Minorities Minister Shahbaz Bhatti said the firing at Lal Chand's vehicle was an attack on parliament. Deputy Speaker Faisal Karim Kundi, who was in the chair at the time, said an official committee would submit a report on the incident within a couple of days. Police registered a case against two persons and arrested the man in-charge of the toll plaza.