Kh Asif, Murad Saeed in debate over atomic programme in NA

ISLAMABAD: Parliamentary Leader of the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) Khawaja Asif and Minister for Communication Murad Saeed again came face to face in the National Assembly on Tuesday as the minister asked the opposition not to observe Youm-e-Takbeer to hide anybody’s corruption.

Speaking on a point of order in the National Assembly, Khawaja Asif said that Youm-e-Takbeer is the day to remember Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto and Muhammad Nawaz Sharif.

“One of these prime ministers was hanged, while the other prime minister is in Kot Lakhpat Jail,” he said, adding that those who made Pakistan a nuclear power were hanged or sent to prison.

Members sitting on treasury benches lodged protest as the PML-N parliamentary leader mention the name of Nawaz Sharif in his speech with particular reference to nuclear tests carried out on May 28, 1998.

“The leader, who completed Pakistan’s nuclear programme and conducted nuclear tests, is now in a cell of Kot Lakhpat Jail,” he said, adding that May 28 is the day to remember leaders like Nawaz Sharif who are well-wishers of the nation.

Khawaja Asif said the nation which forgets its well-wishers could never find its destination.

Responding to speech of the PML-N leader, Murad Saeed said if there was any leader in Kot Lakhpat Jail, he landed there because of his corruption. He said Nawaz is celebrating Eid in Pakistan for the first time.

“The opposition should not make May 28 controversial to hide anybody’s corruption,” the minister said, which invited strong protest from the PML-N parliamentarians.

Murad Saeed said the opposition starts making noise when the government talks about accountability of corrupt elements.

“I will continue to speak even if you continue making noise,” he said.

Murad Saeed said it was true that Youm-e-Takbeer was the day to remember well-wishers of the nation like Dr Abdul Qadeer Khan who made Pakistan a nuclear power. “The parties now in opposition forgot well-wishers like Dr Abdul Qadeer Khan whenever they assume power,” he said.

The minister said those claiming of making Pakistan a nuclear power could not establish a hospital of international standard where the former prime minister and Shahabaz Sharif could get the medical treatment and they should also tell the nation as to how the country’s debts reached to figure of Rs28,000 billion.

Minister of State for States and Frontier Regions (Safron) Shaharyar Afridi on maintained that there could be no compromise on sovereignty of the country and those challenging writ of the state and maligning armed forces would be penalised.

He said the Constitution of Pakistan does not allow anybody to malign armed forces, judiciary and other institutions of the state. Referring to hate speeches of leaders of Pakhtun Tahaffuz Movement (PTM) Mohsin Dawar and Ali Wazir, Afridi questioned them as to what message they wanted to give to bereaved families of soldiers and officers of security forces who have rendering sacrifices for restoration of peace in motherland and particularly in former Fata and KP.

“This is regretful to note that thoughts are being promoted by those who are members of this House and they are trying distract youth of the province,” he said, adding: “They deliver such hate speeches and raise such slogans against armed forces which please enemy of the country.”

Afridi maintained that the government would protect property and lives of all the Pakistanis without any discrimination of religion, language, province, sect or the region but would not compromise on country’s sovereignty.

The minister said it was leadership of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) which brought Mohsin Dawar and Ali Wazir and decided not to contest 2018 elections against them seriously. He said that one of them was also made chairman of standing committee of the House but what they did in return was that they raised slogans against armed forces and disrespected the national flag.

The minister while referring to an earlier speech of Baloch parliamentarian Sardar Akhtar Mengal said whenever North Waziristan like incidents occur, some people start exploiting their past deprivations and Islamabad is blamed for backwardness of provinces. “But when the federal government attempts to take up any development activity, it is said it is the provincial issue,” he said.

He also regretted that an atmosphere of deprivation, no trust in state institutions and disappointment is created whenever such an incident occurs.

Regretting attitude of the opposition parties, Afridi said he consulted their leaders following killing of Tahir Dawar and they including Rana Sanaullah agreed with his point of view. “Now I am considering whether they were right at that time or their present view is correct,” he said.

Shaharyar Afridi said that efforts are afoot to empower the tribal people, adding that Rs95 billion have been released for the development of tribal districts from divisible pool even before announcement of the NFC Award.

Sardar Akhtar Mengal of the Balochistan National Party (BNP-Mengal) asked the government to take situation in North Waziristan seriously and a commission should probe the tragic incident and address demands of people of former Fata.

“Whether there it comes to issues of Balochistan or former Fata, a parliamentary issue should be constituted,” he said, adding that the reasons due to which Pakistan was dismembered, the same sword is hanging over our heads again.

Mengal said he did not want to speak on allegations being faced by chairman of the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) during the holy month of Ramazan.

The Baloch leader said declaring political leaders as traitor is not a new rather there is long list of those including Fatima Jinnah, Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto, Benazir Bhutto, Nawab Akbar Bugti, Abdul Ghaffar Khan, Abdul Wali Khan, Khair Bux Marri and Altaf Hussain. “They are considered as traitors when they are in opposition and are termed as loyal to the country when in the government,” he said.

He warned the PTI leadership that they could also face the same allegations. He pointed out that models of mountains of Chaghi where the nuclear tests were conducted are displayed all over the country, but none of the government since 1998 took problems of the area seriously. He mentioned that since then Chaghi district has been facing natural calamities while the area is also deprived of basic facilities like safe drinking water.

Responding to a call attention notice, Parliamentary Secretary for National Health Services Nausheen Hamid told the House that a comprehensive plan has been prepared for the provision of better health care facilities in the federal capital territory.

She said under this plan, upgradation of basic health units will be carried out and these will operate round the clock. She said it is the vision of PTI government to strengthen primary health care system in order to reduce burden on hospitals.

The parliamentary secretary said that land has been acquired for the establishment of a 200-bed hospital at Tarlai. This facility will be established with the assistance of Saudi government.

Responding to another call attention notice, Parliamentary Secretary for Federal Education and Professional Training Wajiha Akram rejected reports that the budget of Higher Education Commission (HEC) has been cut by 50 percent. She said that Rs65 billion was earmarked for the HEC during the financial year 2018-19.

“We have disbursed 90 percent of the total amount while the remaining 10 percent will also be released soon,” she said, adding that there will no cut on the HEC funds in the next financial year. She said a committee has also been constituted to resolve the funding issues of the HEC. She said promotion of education is amongst the top priorities of PTI government.

“We have launched a campaign to bring out of school children to the schools. We are also launching a literacy campaign to enhance literacy rate in the country,” she said.

On the protest of media workers outside the Parliament House over non-payment of salaries to them, Minister of State for Parliamentary Affairs Ali Muhammad Khan said the government will ensure that the media workers get their salaries before Eidul Fitr.

He said the government is making payments to the media houses and it is their responsibility to pay salaries to their staff. Other members also regretted the non-payment of salaries to the media workers.

The chair referred the matter to the standing committee concerned for the redressal of grievances of the media workers.

Four bills were introduced in the House including the Criminal Law (Amendment) Bill, 2019, the Constitution (Amendment) Bill, 2019 (Article 25), Federal Newborn Screening Bill, 2019 and Islamabad Capital Territory Local Government (Amendment) Bill, 2019.