Asif crosses swords with Gohar, Hamid during parliament charter talks

ISLAMABAD: Tensions flared up in the maiden meeting of the special committee formed for the Charter of Parliament when Defence Minister Khawaja Asif, PTI Chairman Barrister Gohar and Chairman Sunni Ittehad Council (SIC) Sahibzada Hamid Raza got engaged in a heated argument.

SIC’s Sahibzada Hamid Raza said parliament had been attacked and that all members stood united against such an assault. In response, Khawaja Asif criticised the past actions, saying, “Mian Nawaz was not even allowed to make a phone call to his wife, and a fabricated case was brought against Rana Sanaullah.” He also recalled a phone call from Lt General (retd) Faiz during the Senate elections, urging him to cast a vote against Syed Yusuf Raza Gilani. Expressing his frustration, Asif said, “Is all of this right? Was this committee formed to criticise us? I don’t want to be a member,” he remarked before attempting to leave the meeting. However, Chairman Pashtunkhwa Milli Awami Party, Mahmood Khan Achakzai, persuaded him to stay.

Barrister Gohar Ali Khan said the committee should not focus on past grievances but instead look towards the future, though he acknowledged that understanding the background was necessary for progress. Khawaja Asif countered, pointing out that PTI’s past actions were also not clean and cited the lack of condemnation of CKP M Ali Amin Gandapur’s statements.

Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar explained that Khawaja Asif’s anger stemmed from the continuous accusations against their side, while the past actions of others were not being considered. Addressing Sahibzada Hamid Raza, Khawaja Asif insisted, “We shouldn’t be told one-sided stories. Where was the conscience of the people before, and why has it awakened now?” Balochistan Awami Party leader Khalid Magsi said that in the past, many claimed to be on the same page with the army.

Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam Chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman suggested that committee meetings should be held in-camera, as many sensitive issues would be discussed. He said that wrongdoings had occurred in the past and are happening even now. Khawaja Asif agreed, saying, “We don’t claim that what’s happening now is right, but the wrong actions of the past must also be acknowledged.”

Dr. Farooq Sattar of the MQM-Pakistan proposed the formation of an all-party permanent committee to uphold the Constitution and handle political crises. “We must send a clear message that we have no enmity with any organisation or party,” he said. Mehmood Khan Achakzai said that whenever politicians united, such as during the collaboration between Benazir Bhutto Shaheed and Nawaz Sharif, positive outcomes followed. He suggested adding Maulana Fazlur Rehman and Umar Ayub to the committee.

Committee Chairman Syed Khursheed Shah said that the current situation is serious and if it remains unresolved, they will persist for generations. He stressed that focusing on past grievances would prevent consensus, saying, “If we keep this attitude, this committee will be purposeless. Let bygones be bygones, and let’s work together.” Mahmood Khan Achakzai further commented that the attack on parliament was a grave mistake. Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar responded, acknowledging that the issue had been politicised from the start, but insisted that it must now be resolved to prevent future incidents.

Earlier, Syed Khursheed Shah was unanimously elected chairman of the Special Committee. The committee was established by Speaker of the National Assembly Sardar Ayaz Sadiq, following the motion passed on September 11, 2024, under Rule 244(B) of the Rules of Procedure and Conduct of Business in the National Assembly, 2007. The chairman called for the next meeting to be held today (Friday). The committee’s Terms of Reference (ToRs) include discussing, analysing, and forming recommendations on issues related to parliament, parliamentarians, Constitution and smooth functioning of the house.