NA treasury, opposition benches trade allegations

ISLAMABAD: As the debate on the motion of thanks to the president for addressing the joint sitting of parliament entered the second day on Tuesday, the National Assembly saw the treasury and opposition benches engaged in dishing out dirt at each other.

PTI legislators, including the Opposition Leader Omar Ayub Khan, responded to Defence Minister Khawaja Muhammad Asif’s over his remarks about former president the late Ayub Khan and termed them unwarranted.

PMLN MNA Hanif Abbasi opposed the PTI’s demand for constitution of a judicial commission on May 9 incidents and said those who broke the statues of martyrs should not be pardoned. The PTI protested during his speech.

The PPP legislators took an exception to the remarks of PTI-backed SIC member Shahid Khattak and demanded that the speaker expunge the remarks. The PPP legislators and SIC member even exchanged harsh words. Taking part in the discussion, PTI leader Ali Muhammad Khan suggested that the dialogue should be generated by parliament and the speaker should take this initiative.

Speaking on a point of order at the outset of the session, Omar Ayub Khan took an exception to the remarks of Khawaja Asif and said indecent and unparliamentary language was used by naming his grandfather (Ayub Khan) and his family on Monday. He said Khawaja Asif might not have read the history correctly, so he wanted to correct something. “Since Ayub Khan is a historical figure, let’s be clear about the facts. Iskander Mirza implemented the (first) martial law,” he said.

Omar Ayub said the people sitting around him had been part of different parties who were now part of PMLN while Khawaja Asif was depressed after losing to Rehana Dar.

Taking part in the discussion on the presidential debate, Sunni Ittehad Council senior leader Ali Muhammad Khan said he wanted to speak in the interest of Pakistan as a representative of the people. “We have to admit the past mistake and if the dialogue is to be started, then it should be from parliament and speaker National Assembly should lead it.”

“There should be no broker and dealer and political parties have to sit for the dialogue. I want the National Assembly speaker to take the initiative for dialogue in the parliament,” he suggested.

Ali said he wanted to ask the DG ISPR as to who will apologize to them. “This chain of apologies should stop. Let the political parties come together and find a solution to the problem,” he said. “If Pakistan wants to be healed then we the people have to decide; we don’t need any broker,” he said.

He said Imran Khan was sent home and was punished for pursuing an independent foreign policy and talking about the Muslim bloc.

Chairman PTI Barrister Gohar Khan said the PTI was ready to move forward for the sake of the nation. He said Umar Ayub had not been accused of corruption in 22 years but Khawaja Asif will take Iqama and go abroad to work. “You are the people whose names appeared in the PanamaLeaks and Dawnleaks. You were the people who went to the Supreme Court wearing a black coat in the Memogate,” he said. He said the people who came to the house on the basis of Form-47 react like Khawaja Asif.

Barrister Gohar demanded the suspension of Khawaja Asif. He said as per international reports, PTI was 70% popular but it was deprived of election symbol in the February election and 180 seats were taken away from it. “We want to move forward for the sake of the nation and the country,” he said. Barrister Gohar further said that Bushra Bibi was not related to the Toshakhana case but she was sentenced to 15 years in the case. “Our women were put in jail under the pretext of 9 May and cases were lodged against them.” He said now the PMLN chairmanship was also taken from Shehbaz Sharif. “Shehbaz is the first prime minister who does not have popular majority,” he said.

Farooq Sattar from the Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan questioned governance in Sindh, urging the provincial government to take measures to improve law and order in Karachi. Former speaker National Assembly and PTI leader Asad Qaiser said he condemned the way Khawaja Asif spoke to the speaker National Assembly during Monday’s session. “Khawaja Asif is 80-year-old and a senior parliamentarian, so he should have realized and shown tolerance,” he said. Addressing the speaker, he said: “The manner in which he (Khawaja Asif) addressed you and spoke with you, I condemn that.” Speaking about Fata, Asad Qaiser said that all the parties in parliament had unanimously given tax exemption to Fata and this facility was given to them so that they could be equal to other regions of the country but, unfortunately, they were deprived of basic rights. “In such a situation, how can they be equal to other areas, especially now if tax is imposed on them,” he said. Asad Qaiser appealed to the speaker to form a committee on the matter to discuss it and include representation from FATA.

Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz Legislator Hanif Abbasi held the PTI responsible for the riots that occurred on May 9 last year, calling for strict action against the perpetrators. Abbasi accused the PTI of backing anarchy in Azad Jammu and Kashmir and cited instances of misconduct by the PTI members in the National Assembly. He alleged that the PTI had been planning attacks on the military installations for over a year. Abbasi urged stringent measures against disruptive elements, warning that failure to act decisively could lead to further instability and attacks on the military installations by the unruly mobs.

Meanwhile, responding to the points raised by Asad Qaiser, Law Minister Azam Nazeer Tarar said a uniform policy was being pursued to check power pilferage across the country. He said under this policy, more loadshedding was carried out on the feeders where power theft was high. He noted that checking power pilferage was important to bring down the circular debt. Taking the floor, Minister for Kashmir Affairs Amir Muqam expressed satisfaction over the amicable solution of the situation in Azad Kashmir. He said the demands of protestors regarding power tariff and subsidy in flour had been met and the protesters had now dispersed.