Senate condemns US Embassy function

ISLAMABAD - The Senate Friday severely condemned the hosting of a gay pride ceremony by US embassy in Pakistan last month and sent the matter to the Senate Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs for taking any possible action.
The committee will see whether the parliament had the jurisdiction to debate the issue in any of its houses and what kind of action could be initiated against the organisers of the gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender (GLBT) function that was held in the US embassy in Islamabad. It would consider the nature and extent of protocols existing between the two countries. The committee will also have an input from the Foreign Office. One lawmaker from every parliamentary party will sit in the committee.
The matter was referred to the parliamentary committee on the two separate adjournment motions submitted in the house from Jamaat-e-Islami lawmakers, Professor Khurshid Ahmed and Professor Ibrahim. Both the movers wanted a debate in the house on the issue and they will also sit in the committee. US Embassy Chargé d’Affaires Ambassador Richard Hoagland and members of Gays and Lesbians in Foreign Affairs Agencies (GLIFFA) on June 26 had hosted first ever GLBT Pride Celebration in US Embassy Islamabad. A press release issued by the embassy said that the Chargé d’Affaires, addressing the Pakistani LGBT activists and acknowledging that the struggle for GLBT rights in Pakistan was still beginning, said: “I want to be clear. The US embassy is here to support you and stand by your side every step of the way.”
The lawmakers condemned the statement of the embassy that announced support for such persons in Pakistan, saying that GLBT activities were against the basic principles of Islam and the constitution of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan, and hence could not be allowed.
Raja Zafarul Haq of PML-N raised the question that whether the US embassy is entitled under the general diplomatic immunity to hold such functions or their home laws allow them hold such ceremonies, or they have permission for such activities under some kind of special bilateral protocol. He was of the view that the house would have to see all these things before deciding the matter as any foreign embassy was supposed to be a part of the country which it represents, and generally the laws of the host country did not apply on it. There was a great hue and cry from JI Senator Professor Ibrahim when Dr Saeeda Iqbal of PPP said that this was not a proper forum to discuss the matter as the foreign embassies had some mutual protocols with the host countries. Senator Ibrahim remarked that the parliament was the voice of the masses and a proper forum to discuss the issue.

By: Imran Mukhtar