PPP leader fears treasury members will be in same jail tomorrow if govt continues putting opposition behind bars today. National Assembly unanimously adopts resolution to form 16-member committee to resolve issues related to parliament. Speaker Ayaz Sadiq issues production orders for PTI’s arrested MNAs. Kh Asif proposes revision of Charter of Democracy. Tarar says no MNA arrested from premises of parliament.
ISLAMABAD - The treasury and opposition benches Wednesday unanimously adopted a resolution agreeing to constitute a 16-member committee for resolving issues related to the parliament.
This committee will discuss, analyse and firm up recommendations regarding issues related to the parliament, parliamentarians’ constitution rules and procedure conduct of business in the National Assembly-2007 and the smooth function of the Parliament.
“The speaker is authorised to make changes in the composition of the committee as and when required. The committee will present its report in the House,” according to the motion, tabled by Federal Information Minister Attaullah Tarar, calling for the constitution of a parliamentary committee comprising members of the National Assembly (MNAs) from both government and opposition benches.
The motion was passed unanimously after the rare unity between the lawmakers from opposition and government benches.
Speaker Ayaz Sadiq recalled Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) founder Imran Khan’s premiership and lamented the denial of production orders by the then-speaker Asad Qaiser. The PTI government didn’t issue production orders for our members during its tenure, Sadiq said.
However, he maintained that “two wrongs did not make a right” and remarked: “I do not agree what your [PTI] government’s actions. Not issuing production orders was not the right thing to do then [and] it is not the right thing to do now”. “I will do what is appropriate, what is required and what is necessary for [upholding] the parliament’s respect,” he added.
Inviting the fellow parliamentarians for the charter of parliament to jointly make the parliament functional, Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari stressed that without establishing the supremacy of the Constitution, no institution can function. The representatives of the House must maintain a working relationship.
“If the government’s only job is to decide, who should we put behind bars today [because] Khan did this to use and spoiled the [political] climate. If we repay in the same coin then you may be happy for one day but tomorrow you and I will be in the same jail,” the PPP chief said on the floor of the National Assembly.
The PPP chief also slammed the former ruling party’s lawmakers for not respecting the parliamentary affairs and using the same confrontational tone in the house as they used in public rallies.
“If the government is constantly engaged in firefighting, and the Opposition continues to curse, make hue and cry, and act below the belt, they cannot fulfill their duty of holding the government accountable,” he said, adding that if they claim that the government’s economic or security policies are flawed, they must also propose solutions. “Politics has become a curse, but it is the same politics that will bring employment to the youth, economic justice to the people, and govern the country,” he said adding that if the Chief Minister curses the media and opposition, and uses his own government to initiate vindictive actions against judges in the Anti-Terrorism Court, it does not address the issues of the people in the province.
He said,” If the government’s primary focus is who to jail next, it may bring momentary satisfaction, but tomorrow we will all be trapped in the same cycle.”
Bilawal recalled that during Imran Khan’s tenure as Prime Minister, the PPP did not harbour any personal grudges against him. Their only concern was protecting the Constitution and democracy, for which his family and party had sacrificed, and to solve the problems of the people.
He said that this was the reason for the signing of the Charter of Democracy between Shaheed Benazir Bhutto and Nawaz Sharif. He said the PPP contested elections to achieve economic justice for the people. However, it is now time to evaluate the government’s performance on key issues.
“While we have criticised the government’s economic policies, the House should commend the reduction in inflation, and now everyone must contribute their input,” Chairman PPP said.
Bilawal urged the Speaker to restore the functionality of the House, as a functional Parliament is essential for a functional country. He expressed disappointment regarding the resignation of a senior politician, particularly one who had played a significant role in the politics of Balochistan. He reminded the House that during the PDM government, he had advised against boycotting the assemblies. Now, both the Opposition and the country are suffering as a result.
Chairman Bilawal suggested the Speaker form a high-powered committee to help restore the functionality of the House. He reiterated that the responsibility of Parliament is not only to legislate but also to create conducive environment. The cycle of political rallies against one another must end, and the focus should shift toward serving the people and safeguarding their rights.
Welcoming Bilawal Bhutto Zardari’s proposal, Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar said the government fully endorses this suggestion so that a policy can be evolved to take the country forward with collective wisdom.
Minister for Defence Khawaja Muhammad Asif reacting to Bilawal’s speech, termed the arrival of masked persons and the entry of the police into the Parliament House shameful and “a violation of the sanctity of the House”.
Asif called for protecting the interests of the common man instead of discussing political party affairs in the Parliament. He said bitterness of political rallies should not be brought to the Parliament. He said “I have no objection if the speaker issues the production order of the arrested MNAs.”
Federal Minister for Defence, Khawaja Muhammad Asif, on Wednesday suggested that the Charter of Democracy (CoD) could be revised and expanded into a broader document.
Speaking on the floor of the National Assembly, he said that the historic CoD, signed by political leaders Benazir Bhutto and Nawaz Sharif, was intended to protect parliamentary democracy in Pakistan.
He acknowledged that the CoD faced numerous challenges over the years but noted that both political parties refrained from reverting to the divisive politics of the 1990s.
PTI’s young MNA Ali Muhammad Khan, on his turn, said that a meeting was held with the leaders of PPP, PML-N and other parties wherein the issuing of the production order was discussed.
He shared with the house that the speaker verbally told the inspector general of police that there would be a production order and that he should produce the lawmakers. However, he added that the Islamabad police have not implemented the speaker’s order.
Another PTI senior member Gohar Ali Khan said that the production orders do not require a written application, hoping they would be issued soon. He said the rally was an excuse and the target was the party members.
In a late night development, Speaker Sardar Ayaz Sadiq issued the production orders of the detained Members of the National Assembly who are in the custody of Islamabad Police. Production orders of MNAs Malik Aamir Dogar, Zain Hussain Qureshi, Waqas Akram, Sher Afzal, Muhammad Ahmed Chatta, Zubair Khan Wazir, Owais Haider Jakhar, Syed Shah Ahad Ali Shah, Naseem Ali Shah, Muhammad Yusuf Khan have been issued for the current/ ongoing session of the National Assembly.
The Speaker approved the Production Orders of MNAs in the exercise of powers delegated under Rule 108 of the Rules of Procedure of the National Assembly, 2007. National Assembly Secretariat issued a notification in this regard to Secretary of Interior Division, IG Islamabad Police, and Chief Commissioner Islamabad to ensure the presence of detained members for the current session of the National Assembly
PkMAP chief Mahmood Khan Achakzai, on his turn, said that he stands with him about the need for ensuring the Parliament’s supremacy and keeping the institutions with their constitutional ambits.
Earlier, Minister for Information and Broadcasting Attaullah Tarar said efforts are being made to revamp Pakistan Television to make it a vibrant media organization.
He, responding to a question during Question Hour, said the government is committed to make PTV a profitable media organization. He said the policy of minimum wages of 37,000 rupees has been implemented and a case has been moved to the Board of Directors of PTV for formal approval for the enforcement of minimum wages.
Replying to another question regarding the fire incident in Weekly Bazar H-9, the Minister for Information and Broadcasting said the fire erupted on 10th July this year, burning 625 stalls. He said due to that incident the financial loss reached up to around 280 million rupees as per stall holders.
Also, Tarar said that CCTV footage confirmed that no Parliament member was arrested within its premises.
Responding to a point raised by PTI’s Ali Muhammad Khan, he said, that all records related to the arrest were available in the Speaker’s Chamber. He said that the arrests took place outside the Parliament building. He said that the entire house stood in support of the Speaker and said no one had asked him to refrain from engaging opposition members. The minister invited opposition members to examine the footage present in the Speaker’s chamber and expressed disappointment that PTI members lacked the courage to listen and engage in meaningful dialogue. He reiterated that constructive conversation remains the key to resolving political issues.