Opposition, treasury senators accuse each other of poor economy

ISLAMABAD: The opening day of the first Senate session Monday following the ouster of the PTI government witnessed rowdy scenes, apparently beyond the chairman’s control, as the two sides of the aisle blamed each other for the country’s bad financial position.

Two days ahead of its much-discussed Islamabad march, PTI Senator Dr. Shahzad Waseem, who has already been notified as new Leader of the Opposition, at the very start of the proceedings of the new parliamentary year, rose to allege that Imran Khan’s government had been removed after he boldly declared that the country’s interests would not be compromised for the interests of some other country.

The PTI senators chanted full-throated slogans against the coalition government throughout the session, totally ignoring the repeated warnings by Senate Chairman Sadiq Sanjrani, who belongs to the Balochistan Awami Party.

The PTI lawmakers alleged that the government members had acted as facilitators for a foreigner power to remove their government for following an independent foreign policy. The PML-N lawmakers hit back and demanded they stop wailing over the ouster of their government and sought a report on its performance of three and a half years.

Senator Shahzad Waseem contended that Imran had not only declined to give bases and accept India’s hegemony but also refused to accept diktats about where to go and where not while the then opposition had its own compulsions as their “leaders have their laundered money and properties abroad.”

He explained that all happened at a time when the economy was stabilising with record remittances, massive tax collection and exports as the PTI senators resorted to sloganeering, “the imported government not acceptable.” Referring to PMLN President Shehbaz Sharif, he regretted that the man who was supposed to be indicted over corruption involving billions of rupees had been installed as Prime Minister, lamenting that “criminals” were being provided with security while the former Prime Minister facing threat to his life had not been provided adequate security. He cautioned that God forbid, if anything happens to him, its responsibility would squarely lie on the government.

Without giving further details, Senator Shahzad Waseem alleged that at a time of acute financial crunch, a swimming pool was being constructed at a cost of Rs 100 million.

The newly-installed Leader of the House, Azam Nazeer Tarar of the PMLN, bitterly criticised the PTI senators, who were in no mood to listen to him and they kept on thumping desks throughout his speech. Senator Tarar said that only those who had no argument behaved like this. He accused the PTI of trying to distort facts as their government had legally been removed under a due procedure i.e. a no-trust motion, as the National Assembly had been dissolved unconstitutionally while the ruling of the Speaker was set aside by the Supreme Court of Pakistan.

Senator Tarar asserted that the PTI could not cover up its sins by making a noise, alleging it had played havoc with the economy. He came hard on ex-PM Imran Khan for his claim of breaking the begging bowl and preferring to commit suicide over seeking a bailout package from the IMF. He also asked him about his promises of the creation of ten million jobs, building five million houses and constructing 200 dams.

He defended the PTI-led coalition government partners for saying goodbye to it and claimed they did so over Imran regime’s flawed policies. While the PTI lawmakers relentlessly persisted with causing disturbances by thumping desks and raising slogans, Senator Tarar sought a break for what he called a matter of national importance with reference to APHC leader Yasin Malik. However, it took time for them to hold back despite repeated requests by the chair.

The House unanimously passed a resolution, expressing solidarity with the family of Yasin Malik who is being persecuted in a dubious and motivated case. Moved by PPP Senator Yusuf Raza Gilani, the resolution said the House condemns the abhorrent attempt of the Indian government to deprive the Kashmiri people of their true leadership which is the blatant violation of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights.

The resolution said the struggle for the right of self-determination in Kashmir was indigenous and could not be dampened by the draconian, strong-arm tactics of the Indian government. It asked the government for taking immediate steps on the matter and also urged the international community to counsel India to drop all fabricated charges against all political leaders of IIOJ&K including Yasin Malik and ensure their safety and well-being.

Through the resolution, the House emphasised the Indian government should arrange a meeting of Yasin Malik with his spouse Mishal Malik along with his 10-year-old daughter. The Senate asked the Indian government to stop human rights violations in Kashmir, lift the brutal military siege, and let the Kashmiri people exercise their right to self-determination in accordance with their aspirations and relevant United Nations Security Council resolutions.

Later, the massive raging fires in pine nut forests of Sherani district of Balochistan also echoed in the House and the legislators from the treasury benches expressed grave concern that there were no arrangements in place to deal with the massive challenge.

The senators from Balochistan noted that there were two theories circulating; first was that it was a natural fire while the second was that it was caused by humans. JUIF Senator Kamran Murtaza regretted that 14 days had passed and fires were still raging while the pine nut forests generate income worth Rs4 billion annually and four precious human lives were also lost. Senator Shafique Tareen said the efforts so far made were not enough to handle the extremely worrying situation.

National Party Senator Tahir Bizenjo drew the House attention towards a Baloch female suicide attack on the Karachi university campus on April 26 and said no democratic and political person could support such attacks. But, he added it was the result of long-continuing problems the people of Balochistan had been facing despite the fact they were highlighted on the floor of the House on countless times, but no attention was paid to address them.

Leader of the House Azam Nazeer Tarar assured the senators that the federal government was already making efforts and would do whatever was possible to deal with the raging fires in Sherani. Senator Yusuf Raza Gilani rose to congratulate and pay tributes to Senator Nisar Khoro of his party, who was administered the oath earlier, for his services to democracy, the Constitution and the rule of law. He also said that what was witnessed in the House, earlier, had sent a very bad message abroad.

Earlier, the Senate passed Senator Irfan Siddiqui’s private bill making important amendments to the basic nature of the Code of Criminal Procedure: through this piece of legislation, Section 4 of the Code of Criminal Procedure 1898, Section 408, Section 414A have been amended. In addition, Section 14 and Section 14A are substituted with new provisions. After approval from the Senate, the bill will be sent to the National Assembly, and after its approval, it will become law, following the assent of the President. Judicial powers of district Islamabad’s commissioner, deputy commissioner and assistant commissioner will be eliminated.

Talking to journalists outside Parliament House, Senator Irfan Siddiqui said that today a key requirement of the Constitution had been fulfilled and the colonial spirit of the Code of Criminal Procedure was removed.