21st Amend was needed to eliminate terrorism, says Fehmida Mirza

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Former National Assembly speaker Fehmida Mirza said on Sunday that the 21st Constitutional Amendment, which was unanimously passed by parliament to ensure speedy trial of terrorism suspects, was need of the hour to eliminate the menace from the country.

Talking to the state television, she said there should be no space in society for terrorists to carry out subversive activities and the legislation would serve the purpose. “It (legislation) should have been made earlier.” Although, she said, some members of Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) had reservations on certain clauses of the amendment but it supported the government in larger national interest. She highlighted the importance of national unity among political parties and institutions to tackle the confronting challenge of terrorism in a most effective manner.

Replying to a question, the former speaker underlined the need for capacity building of judiciary, saying that instant reforms were essential to provide speedy and cheap justice to the common man. Timely dispensation of justice to litigants was as imperative as “clothing, bread and home,” she said, adding “judiciary is an independent institution and its deficiencies should be removed”. Fehmida, who has the honour of being the first women speaker not only in Pakistan but the world, said she formed a Women’s Parliamentary Caucus (WPC) to provide special forum to female legislators so that they could work with more dedication for protecting women’s rights.

WPC was highly appreciated in the world and its model was being followed in different countries, she added. To another question, the former speaker said she performed her responsibilities, being custodian of the National Assembly for five years during PPP’s last tenure in the government, with honesty, dedication and impartiality. Commenting on Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI)’s politics of agitation, she said Imran Khan should use parliamentary forum to address issues in a democratic manner. Protests and sit-ins, Fehmida said, caused great economic loss to the country, adding that parliament was the appropriate forum to bring improvement in the existing system.