Opposition requisitions NA session

ISLAMABAD: The two main opposition parties, Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) and Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) have requisitioned the National Assembly (NA) session to discuss arrest of Rana Sanaullah and aftershock of the federal budget.

The requisition bearing signatures of the 92 opposition members was submitted in the National Assembly secretariat on Tuesday. The opposition members have requisitioned session of lower House of the Parliament under Clause 3 of Article 54 of the Constitution.

The parliamentarians wanted to discuss the effects of the budget on the common man and economy and repression of political leaders including Rana Sanaullah Khan to stop them from raising their voice for the people of the country.

As per the Constitution, the Speaker is bound to summon the National Assembly session on requisition signed by not less than one-fourth of total membership of the House within 14 days of submission of the requisition.

Meanwhile, the office of the Speaker of the National Assembly has been apprised of arrest of PML-N Punjab President Rana Sanaullah Khan and sitting member of House by the Anti-Narcotics Force (ANF) on Tuesday.

The fire-brand PML-N leader was arrested by the ANF on Monday afternoon while travelling in his vehicle from Faisalabad to Lahore near Ravi bridge toll plaza. The ANF officials have also claimed recovery huge quantity of drugs from custody of the senior politician from Faisalabad.

A copy of FIR registered against Rana Sanaullah, has also been attached with the written intimation to the Speaker’s office. According to the FIR, the ANF team has claimed recovering 15 kilograms of heroin from briefcase of the accused while he was travelling in his Toyota Land Cruiser (white) bearing number BF-0601 Sindh. The FIR says when asked, Rana Sanaullah s/o Sher Muhammad himself indicated drugs hidden in the briefcase. A sample taken from the recovered substance has been sent to the laboratory to ascertain the kind of drug.

As per rule 103 of Rules of Procedure and Conduct of Business of the House, a court of law, magistrate or any executive authority is bound to intimate the Speaker about arrest of any of the members indicating reasons for arrest and place of detention.

“When a member is arrested on a criminal charge or for a criminal offence or is sentenced to imprisonment by a court of law or is detained under an executive order, the committing judge, magistrate or executive authority, as the case may be, shall immediately intimate such fact to the Speaker indicating the reasons for the arrest, detention or conviction, as the case may be, as also the place of detention or imprisonment of the member in the appropriate form,” the rule 103 said.