Joint opposition denounces Sindh speaker’s arrest

ISLAMABAD: Joint opposition in the Senate Monday strongly condemned the arrest of Sindh Assembly Speaker Agha Siraj Durrani as sheer violation of the Constitution, fearing this appeared to be an attempt to ridicule and render the parliamentary institutions redundant.

As the 287th session with 36-item on the orders of the day on a private members day, as mutually agreed, the agenda was put aside to have discussion on Pak-India tensions and the process of accountability and other issues. Opposition senators also condemned the alleged ‘killing’ of Arman Loni a few days back.

Opposition legislators shared unanimity that the National Accountability Bureau was serving as a tool to victimise the opposition, dubbing the on-going process of accountability one-sided and political victimisation.

Taking part in the discussion, former chairman Senate Mian Raza Rabbani charged the real agenda was not to fight corruption but to make fun of the state institutions. He urged those behind such attempts should learn a lesson from history. Rabbani also cited articles from the Constitution, particularly Article-248 to say that the constitution was flouted to arrest the speaker.

Senator Rabbani said, “You want to play with the federal and parliamentary form of government to bring in presidential and one-unit system in Pakistan. It will be like adding fuel to the already on-going four movements in the four provinces”.

Rising on his seat, Leader of the House Shibli Faraz played down the opposition’s criticism and advised Pakistan People’s Party, whose speaker is Durrani, to move the Supreme Court as to whether or not any constitutional violation was made in relation to his arrest to settle the matter once and for all.

During the proceedings, Senate Chairman Sadiq Sanjrani asked the treasury Senator Kauda Babar to take his seat when he wanted to speak. He reminded the chair that he had ruled only parliamentary leaders would speak first while Rabbani was not a parliamentary leader, as Rabbani was asked to take the floor.

Other senators, including Sherry Rehman protested at Babar's remarks, and told him that Rabbani was a former chairman of the House. On his part, Rabbani, in protest, walked out from the House. However, he was then convinced by Leader of the House Shibli Faraz, and Senator Babar to return. Upon his return to the Senate, Rabbani also talked about Durrani's arrest.

He noted that the role of the speaker was important in any house and that it was a constitutional position. "Article 7 defines the state. If you witness the respect given to the speaker anywhere in the world, you will learn about their prestige," Rabbani said.

The PPP legislator charged that NAB's arrest of the speaker of the Sindh Assembly was akin to an attack on the state. "Those who are playing this abhorrent game should take a lesson from history," Rabbani said, adding that if the parliament were to be weakened, history would forgive any one.

Rabbani said that the process of accountability should not be stopped, but there should have some respect for certain positions and it must be across the board. The actual purpose wasn't to end corruption but something else, he said.

PPP Senator Sherry Rehman said that a message was being sent to Sindh with Durrani's arrest, but she also dismissed allegations that the PPP was playing the ‘Sindh card’ over the issue. "Sindh is not some card that can be played," she made it clear and insisted they never opposed accountability but it should be transparent and even-handed.

Coming hard on the government, she wondered, “is this the state of Madina and she questioned whether Durrani's interrogation had not been possible without his arrest or if he was trying to run away that necessitated his arrest.”

Deputy Chairman Senate Saleem Mandviwalla showed for a few seconds a clip on his mobile phone to claim that the Sindh Assembly speaker was arrested merely on receiving a message on whatsapp following a meeting by NAB officers.

Senator Abdul Ghafoor Haideri said there was tyranny in Balochistan and Waziristan. He said a person who talked about dishonouring women had also surfaced. He said his house was also raided twice.

He said that he could claim, as a responsible person, that Chinese trust was lost and CPEC stopped.

PkMAP Senator Usman Khan Kakar, JI’s Sirajul Haq and PML-N Senator Mushahid Ullah Khan condemned the ‘killing’ of PTM leader Arman Loni and questioned was it justified to take his life for raising his voice for the rights of Pakhtoons.

Senator Kakar questioned what was the crime of Loni and alleged that there was unannounced suspension of the Constitution and a law of the jungle in Pakistan and practically a civilian martial law was in place. He wondered how could the custodian of an assembly be arrested. He alleged over 7,000 youths in Balochistan were missing while a person, who served as PM thrice was being ridiculed for his ailment. Kakar charged in fact attempts were being made to create a Fata-like situation in Balochistan, claiming the civilian government was not at the helms of affairs in the province.

Responding to these fiery speeches, Senator Anwarul Haq Kakar of the Balochistan Awami Party, which heads the Balochistan government, claimed what Senator Usman Kakar said about missing persons and the death of Loni was contrary to the facts.

He claimed that the cause of death of Loni had not been established, as the report of forensic lab was awaited while investigation had also been ordered into the incident. He also said to accuse the law-enforcement agencies officers for such incident was extremely irresponsible attitude.

Senator Kakar continued that what PTM was doing was in fact increasing the wedge between the state and the society, as Pakhtoons faced no restrictions; they were in defence forces, in the legislatures and other walks of life.

Senator Mushahid Ullah wondered the rulers had been talking about the state of Madina, asking were they trying to establish the society before the state of Madina, as was evident from their actions. He noted now even courts had been talking about the fact that the intentions behind cases against the Sharifs were other ‘than corruption’.

He alleged there was nothing like governance and the people were being burdened with price hike of goods while the economy was in tatters. JI Senator Sirajul Haq said that there were over 400 names of Pakistan in Panama Leaks but apart from Nawaz Sharif, none else was being probed.

PTI Leader Faisal Javed said NAB was an independent institution and government had nothing to do with its action against anyone. He pointed out NAB had also taken action against PTI leaders like Aleem Khan, but ‘we did not make hue and cry to malign the accountability process’.

He said the government was working on controlling money laundering which has increased confidence of the international community on Pakistan.

Shibli Faraz said it was unfortunate that opposition instead of talking about tense situation of Pakistan and India, discussed the arrest of Sindh Assembly Speaker and spoke on other issues.

He said when anyone from opposition was arrested by an institution, it becomes a ‘threat’ to democracy and to the system, which was not the case. He blamed previous governments for the economic crises of the country.