ISLAMABAD - Lawmakers at the joint sitting of the Parliament on Thursday blamed the protesting parties (PAT and PTI) for badly damaging Pakistan’s economy, following some hidden agenda.
The house saw thin presence of lawmakers, mainly from the treasury benches, ostensibly due to absence of the prime minister who had been regularly attending the sitting of the house for the last month.
The third largest opposition party (MQM), following the party lines, floated the demand of making 20 provinces in the country, but no supporting voice was heard from any party in the house.
Almost all the legislators, in their speeches, came down hard on Imran Khan and Tahirul Qadri for continuously using a derogatory language against other politicians and parties.
Taking the floor, PML-N Senator Mushahid Ullah viewed that PAT and PTI had some hidden agenda to destroy Pakistan’s economy, but the opposition and the government were united against them. “In this evolutionary process, there is still danger, but if all of us start our own work, things can be settled,” he said, adding if fair investigation was carried out in the Model Town incident, Tahirul Qadri would be found involved in it.
About cancellation of the Chinese president’s visit, he said it was in the plan to block China’s way through different tactics. He came down hard on Imran Khan for using derogatory language against the politicians.
“I must appreciate patience of the players who used to play cricket with him as he has attitude problem,” Mushahidullah said.
He said only politicians should not be blamed for VIP culture as it was also in other institutions, including army. “Now even media persons are using bulletproof vehicles,” he said and lauded Nawaz Sharif for having many qualities. “Drone and suicide attacks have decreased in the country,” he claimed. They would not allow anybody to cast an evil eye on the Parliament, the PML-N senator remarked.
Having similar emotions against the protesting parties, a dissident lawmaker of PTI, Nasir Khan Khattak, said there was a need to carry a resolution against those responsible for cancellation of the Chinese president’s visit.
“It was painful to see the Chinese president with the Indian PM as we were about to sign various agreements, but the Chinese president cancelled his visit. It seems no body is giving importance to us,” he said.
MQM lawmaker Abdur Rashid Godil, following the party chief’s directions, put weight behind making 20 provinces in the country. “On administrative grounds, 20 provinces should be made,” he said, adding the MQM members were giving proper time in their constituencies. He also criticised inherited politics in the country. “Altaf Hussain has declared that neither he nor any of his family members will contest election,” he added. He also lauded Pakistan Army for their efforts to end terrorism in the country.
PPP lawmaker Ayaz Soomro strongly criticised the derogatory language of the protesting parties and attempted to establish that his party was supporting the government only for continuation of democratic system in the country. He further opposed the move for division of Sindh. “Nobody should even think of it. These conspiracies should come to end now,” he cautioned.
A bit change in PPP’s policy was observed when Ayaz Soomro asked the NA speaker to accept the resignations of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) lawmakers.
Earlier, Senator Muhammad Saleh Shah appreciated the government for their patience in the current political standoff. He further said the government and the opposition parties had demonstrated unprecedented unity for the continuation of democracy in the country.