ISLAMABAD - JAVAID-UR-RAHMAN - The largest opposition party in the National Assembly, PML-N, on Wednesday demanded Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani to tender resignation and come with a clean chit in the house, whereas the treasury benches firmly made it clear that Gilani would continue holding his office.
The house sans the presence of Gilani (who mostly attend the session), witnessed a rumpus when the opposition remarked that the prime minister should resign after the Supreme Court (SC) judgment and prove him innocent before coming into the house. But the treasury adopted a firm stance that the premier had not been disqualified and he would remain the prime minister and attend the session. The verbal brawl lead to furore and sloganeering with intervals as the opposition members kept shouting ‘Go Gilani Go’ and member treasury benches in response saw raising slogan ‘Prime Minister Aaye Ga’ (Prime Minister Will Come).
In order to defuse the tension, Speaker Fehmida Mirza asked the PML-N and the PPP members to maintain decorum, as it gave a negative message of the house.
About reconstituting the commission to probe the Bhoja Airline crash, the treasury once again offered the opposition to give names for new a body.
Speaking on a point of order, Leader of Opposition in the National Assembly Ch Nisar Ali Khan said Prime Minister Gilani should first prove himself innocent, as he had been convicted.
“Now it is a matter of dignity of the prime minister’s office and respect of the Parliament. The prime minister should file appeal in the court, prove him innocent and then come in the house,” he said, adding that the opposition would welcome Gilani if he came with a clean chit. Expressing doubts over the intentions of government, Nisar said there was no need to politicise the case, as the matter would not be discussed in the Parliament in such a way. “This is a political Parliament and this pertinent issue should be discussed in the courts. Are they hiding the corruption by sacrificing the PM,” Nisar questioned.
He also challenged the ruling party to go to people’s court if they have no faith in Pakistani, Swiss and British courts. “Announce the date of the elections if they have courage to face the people’s court,” Nisar demanded.
On the criticism from treasury benches over Raiwind Mehal (palace), he further challenged the government benches to move the court and register cases against Nawaz Sharif and Shahbaz Sharif, if they had any doubts. “You are in the government; go and prove it,” he added.
He further said the facts behind the Surrey palace should also be shared with masses. Commenting on the policy statement given by Law Minister Farooq H Naek, Nisar expressed reservations, saying some of the facts, unfavourable to Gilani and Zardari, had not been shared.
“We are not happy at all that the prime minister has been convicted, but things which are the part of the record should also be shared with people,” he said, adding, “Actually it is a matter $60 million.”
Earlier, H. Naek said the conviction was not in line with the charges framed against Gilani. He made it clear that the prime minister never ridiculed the judiciary as mentioned in the short order on the contempt case. “Court has not disqualified Yousaf Raza Gilani as the prime minister or MNA,” he said, adding that an appeal would be filed in the court, which was a part of the trial.
He described the talk about disqualification as absurd.
He also urged Speaker Fehmida Mirza to apply her mind if any question of disqualification arises.
About writing a letter to Swiss Court, he said it was not the matter of Zardari, but the prestige of the president’s office.
The law minister declared that the file of Swiss Cases had been closed in Switzerland against Benazir Bhutto and Asif Ali Zardari under NRO, which was a law when the letter had been written by the then attorney general. He also warned the opposition in a light way to not cross the limits and show respect.