Opposition lambasts govt in NA: War of words between Khawaja Asif, Shehryar Afridi

ISLAMABAD: Saying victimising opponents has become identity of the incumbent government, the PML-N parliamentary leader in the National Assembly Khawaja Muhammad Asif on Tuesday said Judge of the Accountability Court was removed from his seat whereas former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, whom he convicted, was still imprisoned.

“The video of Judge of the Accountability surfaced and questions were raised over his judgment and he was removed. But Nawaz Sharif is still in prison,” the PML-N leader while speaking on floor of the National Assembly on Tuesday. The National Assembly session which summoned the requisition of the opposition parties, lasted for three hours during which the front row opposition leaders lashed out at the government for discriminatory accountability process for what they said to was focussed to deviate attention from economic issues and price hike. The opposition members also suggested constitution of an inquiry commission or special parliamentary committee for losing the case of Reko Diq and other mega cases in the International Court which penalized Pakistan Government billions of rupees. Prior to start of the proceedings, the Housing Business Advisory Committee which met with the Speaker Asad Qaisar in the chair decided to hold two hours discussion on agenda mentioned by the opposition members in their requisition.

A heated debate between Khawaja Asif and Minister of State for Narcotics Control Shehryar Afridi took place on the issue of Rana Sanaullahissue. “The government is bent upon the worst kind of accountability only to unleash personal vendetta and deviate the attention of masses from real issues of price hike and deteriorating economy which is not good omen for politics and democratic system in the country,” Khawaja Asif said, adding in the past also many attempts were made to erase the name of Nawaz Sharif from political scene but he became prime minister thrice.

The PML-N leader said they are not frightened of jails, saying they had also faced similar circumstances during Musharraf, saying the leadership of PML-N, PPP and MMA would continue to wage fight against undemocratic acts of the government. He recalled he also spent jail during Musharraf regime and he remained hand-cuffed even when his family members used to meet him in jail. “Musharraf is nowhere but I am still member of the Parliament,” he said. Asif said the government should learn from the history, saying the biggest tragedy that nobody wanted to learn from the history. “There is lesson in what I said for the government, for me and everybody,” the PML-N leader while asking the treasury benches said. He recalled that a fabricated case of theft of buffalo was also framed against Chaudhry Pervaiz Elahi in the past,” he said, adding the political leaders and judges are still ashamed of the judicial murder of an elected prime minister.

Khawaja Asif said he was hopeful that Nawaz Sharif would get justice from the superior judiciary. “We are not against accountability but the accountability should be carried out even-handedly,” he said. The PML-N leader demanded of the Speaker uphold the parliamentary traditions and used his discretionary powers to issue production orders of Khawaja Saad Rafique, Asif Ali Zardari, Rana Sanaullah and other parliamentarians in custody. “I ask you to fulfill requirements of justice and issue production orders of these parliamentarians,” he said.

In reply from government side, Minister of State for Narcotics Control, Shehryar Afridi told the National Assembly there are concrete proofs of drugs trafficking against Rana Sanaullah and the same would be produced before the court concerned. Afridi said that the Anti-Narcotics Force (ANF) is a professional force which is headed by a serving Major General with nine Brigadiers working under him and it did not believe in political victimization. “This is the only force of its kind in the world whose cases have 98% conviction rate,” he said, adding there are also big names in drugs trafficking and there would be no compromise on apprehending them. He pointed it was also being said as to why no physical remand was sought and Rana Sanaullah was directly sent to judicial remand. “No physical remand is required when an accused is caught red-handed,” he said.

The minister pointed out that following arrest of a drug smuggler in Faisalabad from whom the similar blue bag was recovered, the vehicle of Rana Sanaullah was monitored for three weeks. “There are solid proofs including video footages which will be produced in the court,” he said, adding they did not believe in political victimization but were ending concept of sacred cows. He said Rana Sanaullah’s luggage was searched after he confirmed it belonged to him. “I will request Khawaja Asif to meet Sanaullah privately ask him under oath if the heroin belonged to him,” he said, adding Rana Sanaullah should clear his name while appearing before the court instead of doing politics. Shehryar said the government of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) did not believe in compromises and it would not spare those involved in drug trade and dishonesty.

Minister of State for Parliamentary Affairs, Ali Muhammad Khan while maintaining that across the board accountability would continue, asked the opposition parties to give account of their 30 years in the government while the incumbent government is ready to be held accountable for its 10 months performance. “It is matter of shame that the public money is spent on performance of Umra by an ex-prime minister while donation for quake victims is laundered abroad,” he said. He advised the opposition members to stop defending corrupt practices of their top leadership saying their leaders themselves would be answerable to Almighty Allah. “The leaders themselves and their lawyers should defend them in courts,” he said.

Raja Pervaiz Ashraf said the incumbent government and treasury benches themselves are creating an atmosphere of tension and unrest instead of giving policy statements. He said that it is not the task of the government minister to indulge in blame game and use abusive language rather they should talk about government’s policies. The PML-N parliamentarian, Ahsan Iqbal in his speech said the strength of the House does not lie in holding debate but its real strength is that it should be sovereign. “You are setting a dangerous precedent by not issuing production orders of parliamentarians who have not been proved guilty in any case,” he said.

Amir Haider Khan Hoti of Awami National Party demanded issuance of production orders of parliamentarians. Syed Salahuddin of MQM advised the opposition members to discuss problems of masses in the House instead of shedding crocodile tears for issuance of production orders.