ISLAMABAD: There was an uproar in the Senate today by the Opposition to protest Federal Minister for Kashmir Affairs Ali Amin Gandapur's criticism of former prime ministers Zulfikar Ali Bhutto and Nawaz Sharif.
Gandapur had called Nawaz a "thief" and Bhutto a "traitor" a day earlier during an election rally campaign in Azad kashmir.
In reaction to Gandapur's remarks, PPP Senator Raza Rabbani chanted slogans in the House saying that this "government of slander" and "government of bullying" will not work. He then apologised and said that the politics of calling each other bad will lead to a disaster.
The PPP leader said they do not need to get a "certificate of patriotism" from Islamabad or Pindi. "Bhutto brought back 90,000 prisoners and he identified Pakistanis as Pakistanis," Rabbani said.
"Today, the value of politics has been thrown away," Rabbani said, adding that politics of an open language will lead to destruction.
"Today, Pakistan is saying it has a nuclear bomb because of Bhutto," Rabbani said, adding that there are some leaders who sacrifice their lives and do not compromise on principle.
"Bhutto could have compromised with American imperialism but he did not," he continued.
PPP Senator Sherry Rehman asked how Gandapur could dare to call Bhutto a traitor.
In his speech in Azad Kashmir, Gandapur had alleged that Bhutto divided the country just for the sake of prime ministership.
He then turned his guns towards PML-N's Maryam Nawaz and said she claimed to be a Kashmiri, but in fact she is the daughter of Jatts. He alleged that the PPP and PML-N broke all records of corruption.
"Who are these people who give certificates of treason," Rehman questioned and asked if Bhutto was a traitor because he brought in the nuclear programme into the country.
"Is Bhutto a traitor because he brought your troops back?" she asked.
PML-N Senator Azam Nazeer Tarar thought Gandapur, being a government minister, should be ashamed at the language used by him for Bhutto, Nawaz and Maryam.
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