The parliamentarians on Tuesday forewarned the government that any move to tax agriculture will be resisted tooth and nail while bluntly describing it as tantamount to making the country hostage to the global market. Speaking on points of order in the National Assembly, the ruling as well as opposition parliamentarians said that every farmer would come out on street against such a move because the high diesel and other inputs costs had made life harder for the growers to survive. Now, the news that the government is mulling over taxing the sector has created anxiety among them. Pakistan Muslim League-Q Riaz Hussain Pirzada and Pakistan People's Party Nadeem Afzal Gondal, among others, deplored that despite the government announcement Passco was not procuring paddy from the growers at Rs 1,500. As a result, the growers were forced to dump their crops at a much lower price, they said, adding that the government must intervene to protect the poor farmers against falling paddy prices in the market. Responding to the concern raised by the members over non-procurement of rice by Passco, Minister for Privatisation Syed Naveed Qamar, on behalf of Agriculture Minister who was not present in the house, said in view of bumper crop of the commodity, the Passco was directed by the Prime Minister to procure it on the fixed-price so that the growers could get the fair price of their produce. He said that the Passco, in collaboration with the rice millers, was procuring the commodity and if there was any complaint, the government would take action. Meanwhile, State Minister for Ports and Shipping Nabeel Gabol, responding to a calling attention notice, said that an FIR had been registered in the theft of certain equipments of fountain, costing Rs 400, 000 at Oyster Rock in Karachi and the responsible officials of Karachi Port Trust (KPT) had been suspended and an inquiry had been ordered. Responding to another point of order, Minister for Religious Affairs Hamid Saeed Kazmi assured the house that no legislation, contrary to the Constitution and Islamic injunctions, would be made. Haji Fazal Karim and several other members, showing their concern regarding a press report of Islamic Ideology Council (IIC) about the amendment to family laws raised the point of. The minister assured the National Assembly that the report would be sent back to the Council for reconsideration. Law Minister Farooq Naik said that the Law Ministry had not received any such report, however, the Ministry, after receiving the report, would review it and then submit to the parliament after making its recommendations. He assured the house that no law could be enacted against the injunctions of Islam. Speaking on the issue, Minister for Parliamentary Affairs Dr Babar Awan said this was only a report and it would be examined by his ministry before submitting to the Law Ministry. He said the government would adhere to the Constitution, which did not permit to enact any law against Islamic injunctions.