Afrasheem

Speaker of Parliament Abdullah Shahid has said that MPs should not allow the murder of Ungoofaaru MP Dr Afrasheem Ali affect their determination or work at the Parliament.

Opening the floor for MPs to pay tribute to Dr Afrasheem, Shahid advised that the best way to remember Afrasheem would be to expedite work at the Parliament and work for the benefit of the people.

Shahid said that Afrasheem, as an MP, made valuable contributions to several Parliament Committees.

“He worked with Petition Committee, Privileges Committee, National Security Committee, Social Committee and Regulation Committee. In addition, he worked with four temporary committees of the Parliament, including the Committee for the assessment of the bill on the prohibition of non-Islamic places of worship, Committee for the study of the Penal Code, Committee for the study of the bill on National University and Committee for translation regulations. He was also the Chairman of the Petition Committee, and worked as the Parliament-appointed member of the Judicial Services Commission,” he said.

Shahid said that with Afrasheem’s death, the Maldives lost a great scholar.

“He was a close friend to all of us. The Maldives lost a scholar. His education benefited citizens. On behalf of all MPs, I condemn this crime and express my condolences to his wife Guraisha Mohamed, Ayyoob Afrasheem, Rumaisha Afrasheem, Ayyaash, his father Ali Zafir, his mother Sitthi Ahmed, members of his family, his friends and well wishers.”

Shahid said that the condemnation of Afrasheem’s killing by President Dr Mohamed Waheed Hassan Manik, former Presidents, High Commissions, international organisations and independent institutions should be seen as encouragement to strengthen the determination to continue with the work of the Parliament.

Shahid described the murder of Afrasheem as an attack on the Parliament and democracy.