ISLAMABAD - The opposition warned the PTI government during Monday’s National Assembly session against turning political differences into personal animosity and said this tradition would harm democracy and the system.
Referring to sloganeering outside former prime minister Nawaz Sharif’s residence in London and attempts of attacks by protesters, the opposition cautioned the government against setting undemocratic traditions that could take the situation to point of no return.
Speaking on a point of order, PML-N parliamentary leader Khawaja Muhammad Asif announced his party’s disengagement with the agreement between the government and the opposition that was meant to run the House smoothly.
“In such a situation, our party will no more be part of the agreement (between the government and the opposition] to run the House smoothly, do legislation or discuss any other matter,” he said, adding that sloganeering outside the residence of his leader could be responded in the same coin.
“This new tradition in politics will not stop...We know the people patronising protests outside Sharif’s house...We know how to give a befitting response,” he said, adding that PTI leaders should not set traditions, which could take the situation to point of no return.
He said the PML-N would retaliate if such acts are encouraged in future. “Sanctity of the house should not be violated. This dangerous situation can spiral out of control,” he said, adding that his party would not forget the people behind this act. He said that arrested parliamentarians were not produced in the House despite issuance of production orders.
Supporting PML-N’s stance, PPP senior leader Raja Pervaiz Ashraf condemned the alleged attack on the residence of Sharif. “Its consequences can be horrible...It should be discouraged and the ruling party must condemn this incident,” he said, adding that workers from both sides could take revenge on each other.
Responding to the point raised by the opposition, Minister for Communication Murad Saeed regretted the attempts of attack on the residence of Sharif in London. He blamed the PML-N leadership for putting the country’s dignity at stake through their corruption. “All corrupt people will be held accountable for the looted money,” he said.
The minister accused Leader of Opposition in National Assembly Shehbaz Sharif of using the Chief Minister’s House when he was at the helm of affairs in Punjab to hide the looted money.
“Why didn’t you tell Nawaz the flats he was living in were not claimed by him as his property in the past?” he asked Khawaja Asif, adding that opposition members from the PML-N should focus on public issues during the session.
Murad said that PML-N parliamentarians visiting Sharif should have asked him as to why in 35 years he could not build a single hospital in his own country. He questioned as to why Shehbaz Sharif did not file a lawsuit against Special Assistant to Prime Minister Shahzad Akbar and a British journalist after publication of news stories in a UK-based newspaper.
Saeed said it was Salman Shehbaz who was a kickbacks specialist. A bulletproof police vehicle of green colour was used to carry and provide security to the money made through kickbacks in projects like Multan Metro Bus Project, Clean Water Project and Ashiana Housing Schemes, he said.