Saad says it is PTI’s turn now

ISLAMABAD: The senior parliamentarian of PML-N Khawaja Saad Rafique that he was among those people who felt that the leaders of PTI should face the same treatment which they (PML-N leaders) have been facing.

“You should stop arresting me and my brother. The opposition leader has also been arrested,” he said, adding he feared that then it would be their turn and they would have to face consequences.

He warned that now leaders of PTI would be arrested to create balance in arrests but he observed maintaining such balance was not a good tradition. “Do not wait for arrests of more PPP and PML-N leaders because it will cost heavily,” he said.

Saad Rafique also warned against arrest of the PPP Co-Chairman and former president Asif Ali Zardari which he said would create chaos and storm in the country and political temperature would further increase.

Saad Rafique who attended the National Assembly proceedings on Friday on receiving his production order, asked the establishment and judiciary to think with cool mind as to which direction they were taking the country.

Khawaja Saad Rafique was of the view that Parliament was still not sovereign as the Speaker was under pressure not to issue his production order.

The PML-N member was arrested by NAB in Ashiana Housing scheme case on December 10 but the Speaker issued his production order only on Thursday and Saad Rafique could attend proceedings on last day of the session which was prorogued on Friday. “I am thankful to the Speaker who rejected the pressure and issued my production order which will raise prestige of the House,” he said.

Saad Rafique who is considered as a fire-brand leader, spoke in the National Assembly in comparatively soft tone observing that the ‘Snakes and Ladders’ game which was being played for the last 71 years should now come to an end and the government would have to take all the political parties and institutions on board to bring country out of crises.

He also questioned as to who were patriotic Pakistanis who submitted application and inquiry is initiated against politicians. “Who are these patriotic Pakistanis who consider others as traitors,” he said, observing either the NAB authorities were not aware of such elements or they did not have the courage to reveal.

Saad Rafique while commenting on case against him said that one of best friends, who forced to become approver against him, also could not produce any documents. He said that he would speak the truth. The PML-N leader said he was being meted out improper behaviour in custody of the NAB, saying that atmosphere there now had improved after certain complaints in near past.

However, he said there could be no opinion that NAB law was Black Law which was carved out by its inventors with bad intentions for the purpose of political victimisation. “I feel that the accountability process was not transparent even during tenure of the PML-N government,” he said.

Saad Rafique said that both the PML-N and PPP continued to disagree with each other when efforts were made to make changes in NAB law saying now they (government) is not agreeing to changes.

He said that he also heard that the PPP chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari was summoned for inquiry in case which related to the period when he was one year old. “Such drama of accountability should stop now,” he said that it was also responsibility of the Government to take political parties and institutions on board to bring the country out of crisis.

He told the House that the NAB officials also asked him about Abdul Aleem and his reputation. “I told him that he is a reasonable person,” he said.

However, Saad Rafique said he made it clear on NAB officials that he would not act as approver against his political opponents. “I strictly asked them not ask such questions again,” he said. He also called upon PML-N and PPP to revive Charter of Democracy (CoD) and extend it to other parties also to make it more effective.

The opposition parties which were expecting a positive response from the Government, protested against remarks of the federal minister Murad Saeed who said the opposition was afraid of accountability. “It were PPP and PML-N which appointed the NAB chairman,” he said.

Meanwhile, the National Assembly passed a resolution making renewed pledge for protection of rights of children in the country.

The National Assembly while acknowledging the World Children’s Day celebrated on November 20 and Human Rights Day celebrated on December 10, the National Assembly of Pakistan moved the resolution. The resolution moved by PML-N parliamentarian Mehnaz Aziz was unanimously adopted by the House. “This House recognizes the rights of every child born in Pakistan and must ensure that he or she has the opportunity of the best available early care and safe environment,” the resolution said. The Government introduced the Islamabad High Court (Amendment) Bill, 2018 in the National Assembly seeking increase in strength of Judges in the court.

The bill moved by the Minister of State for Parliamentary Affairs Ali Muhammad Khan the Islamabad High Court Act, 2010, is aimed at enhancing strength of judges from six plus Chief Justice to nine plus Chief Justice. “As intimated by the Islamabad High Court, the present strength of judges is not sufficient as compared number of pending cases, besides institutions of fresh cases which increasing every day,” the statement of objects and reason said. Minister for Human Rights Dr Shireen Mazari introduced the ICT Rights of Persons with disability Bill, 2018.

The Islamabad Capital Territory (ICT) Right Persons with Disabilities Bill, 2018 proposes for protection and promotion of rights of such persons in the society they have full participation in all forms of social life, particularly in education and employment.

The House also passed a resolution in connection with World Children’s Day and Human Rights Day. “The House affirms the right of every new child to registration, reducing malnutrition in children and mothers and protection of human rights.”