Azam Nazeer Tarar asks Imran Khan not to run away from legislature

ISLAMABAD: Leader of the House in the Senate Azam Nazeer Tarar on Wednesday said former PM Imran Khan was ousted by the parliament in accordance with the Constitution and not “through use of force” and asked him not to run away from the legislature as problems could be resolved on the floor of the House.

“Please think of the state of Pakistan. Politicians should solve their problems in the parliament. Imran was sent home through votes. The country’s problems can be collectively resolved on the floor of the House,” he emphasized while speaking in the Senate.

Before the start of the Question-Hour, he was responding to criticism by PTI senators who tried to draw a parallel between what India was doing against the Kashmiris and the alleged atrocities being committed against their party leadership and workers to thwart the Islamabad march, which they insisted would be peaceful.

However, Senator Tarar contended that the memories of the PTI’s 2014 sit-in had not been forgotten yet like a movie. How clothes were hung on the walls of the Supreme Court building, how the PTV was attacked and attempts were made to ransack the parliament, the Cabinet Division and other offices, he said, adding that it all was happening at a time when the Chinese president’s visit was due and it was delayed and this caused economic loss and no new investment could be made. Again today, the same situation was at hand and talks were being held with the IMF to support the fragile economy while cities were under attack by the PTI and arms were recovered when vehicles were intercepted. He advised the PTI to have some retrospection and contended if the state was challenged, there was a legal and constitutional mechanism to deal with it.

He referred to consultations held with Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and said that there were clear instructions with regard to the PTI march that it would be handled in accordance with the law and the Constitution. He said 16 automatic weapons and ammunition were recovered from three PTI vehicles when they were intercepted. “The system of the country isdriven by the Constitution and the law and if there is no violation of the same, there will be no problem. I learnt from TV that PTI Senator Ejaz Chaudhry was held. I talked to Interior Minister Rana Sanaullah and came to the House after ensuring that Senator Chaudhry will be with his family or friends by now,” he said. Tarar, who is also the Minister for Law, said that holding of peaceful activities was everyone’s right enshrined in the Constitution.

However, Dr Humayun Mohmand of the PTI charged that the government was stopping them from performing their constitutional and democratic rights and that the result of this could be very dangerous. “Those, I mean the establishment, had installed these corrupt people on the nation and should not put at stake their own respect as once it is lost, it is hardly regained. Don’t spoil yourself for the most wanted person.”

The chair sought a report on the arrest of Senator Ejaz Chaudhry from the government. The opposition senators then walked out of the House and pointed out quorum. “I will name the establishment because they had brought them and imposed on the country. I will also use my licensed weapon if someone scales my house walls,” Mohmand said when Senator Tarar regretted gunning down of a cop in Lahore.

Some senators from Balochistan raised the issue of missing persons and urged the prime minister to fulfill his commitment of talking to the powerful quarters on this issue. Former Senate chairman and PPP Senator Raza Rabbani regretted that when the Indian imperialism announced the sentence for Hurriyat leader Yasin Malik, the attention of the entire nation must have been on its aggression and expansionist design, but, unfortunately, there was a situation internally that could lead to a civil war, if turned ugly. He lamented that both the political stakeholders were sadly alluding to the third force constantly for support and urged both the sides that it was still time to prevent the situation from further deterioration. “If anything happens to the political system, the country can face a serious danger. We have always called and worked for political stability which leads to economic betterment. Regrettably, things are moving towards fascism with reference to the PTI and without condoning what the PTI leadership and workers are doing, there should be no detention and manhandling,” he contended.

On the request of the members, the Question-Hour was suspended and an informal discussion was initiated on Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir and Malik’s sentence. They rejected the development and castigated India for detaining the political leadership of Kashmiris and subjecting them to atrocities and denying their fundamental rights. Senators from both sides of the divide called for adopting a clear policy with regard to Kashmir and moving the relevant forums. A decision to adopt a condemnation resolution on Malik’s sentence was deferred, as there was a possibility of a joint sitting of the parliament, where the resolution would be adopted.

PMLN Senator Mushahid Hussain Syed appeared more vocal in condemning some acts of his own government. Referring to the decision to take a private TV channel off air, he remarked: “We had condemned the action against Geo and if it is happening with the ARY, it should also be condemned.” Talking about cases against certain private TV channel anchors, he insisted that this should not happen in democracy and continued that the arrest of political activists and lawmakers without any legal recourse was wrong and not in the national interest. He pointed out that Pakistan was facing challenges and this kind of polarization was against the country and democracy.