ISLAMABAD, Pakistan: The Senate was informed on Tuesday that 66 civilians killed and 228 suffered injuries along the Line of Control (LoC) due to unprovoked and indiscriminate Indian firing since last four years.
Minister of State for Water and Power Abid Sher Ali informed the house on behalf of the Defence Minister Khawaja Muhammad Asif.
About losses to armed forces, the minister said the information has been sought from the quarters concerned as sometimes such information is not revealed publicly.
On this, Chairman Senate Mian Raza Rabbani said no information can be withheld from the Parliament whether it is the government or the defence or security apparatus.
“I am not ready to accept if any department feels reluctant to provide information. We can convene an in-camera session,” he said. “Parliament is supreme where every kind of information can be shared,” he added.
However, he gave a way out saying that if they desire secrecy, the session can be declared in-camera so “the information remains within four walls of the house.”
The chairman gave two proposals with one as declaring the specific portion of proceedings as in-camera or secondly, to place the required information with the Chairman Senate Office where any member can view it. “And this would be done during the current session.”
Intervening at the point, Leader of the House Raja Muhammad Zafarul Haq said the defence minister always ensured replies to points related to him in the house business and the two option offered by the chair would be validly considered.
On this the chairman said, he was not mentioning to absence of the minister rather seeking a mechanism to get the required information.
