ISLAMABAD - The lawmakers from treasury and opposition benches blew hot and cold on the first day of the 10th session of National Assembly (NA), as Interior Minister Ch Nisar Ali Khan and Opposition Leader Syed Khursheed Shah exchanged hot words and even indulged in personal attacks.
The session started around two hours late due to lawyers’ protest and it spent around two hours to debate a privilege motion about President Awami Muslim League Sheikh Rashid Ahmed who was offloaded from a PIA flight some days ago. Though the privilege motion was referred to the house committee on privilege with the consent of treasury benches, the opposition lawmakers asked the government to take this issue on proper forum.
Taking the floor, Opposition Leader Syed khursheed Shah stressed the government to summon USA Ambassador to lodge protest for offloading an MNA despite having valid visa and passport. “We are not the 53rd state of USA. There is a need to lodge strong protest for the sake of Parliament’s respect,” Shah added.
Supporting Shah, PTI senior lawmaker Shah Mehmood Qureshi said there was a need to seek proper response on this insult of a lawmaker. “This is not the first issue as same incident happened with PTI Chairman Imran Khan,” he added.
Responding to the concerns raised from opposition lawmakers, Ch Nisar reminded opposition leader that the agreement under which Rashid was offloaded was signed in the last PPP era. “Those who are delivering anti-America speeches signed this agreement. The PPP was leading the government when US forces conducted Abbottabad operation,” said Nisar, inviting a lot of criticism from opposition benches.
Nisar who took the floor thrice amid hullabaloo from the opposition benches also gave the reference of NRO signing with former President Pervez Musharraf by PPP. “I know the integrity of those who are making rumpus on my speech. You can conceal facts of your government’s failure by narrating the achievements of Zulfikar Ali Bhutto,” he added.
The PPP lawmakers after back-to-back attacks from treasury benches rose on their seats and also kept on interrupting Nisar during his speech.
The leader of opposition, once again, took the floor in an emotional tone and threatened treasury benches not to go in past era, as it would have wrong consequences for them. He said that they were not scared of threats. “If we can face the generals during dictatorship then no one can frighten us,” he said, adding that they didn’t write a letter to Gen Musharraf to save the skin.
Shah, without disclosing name, added that some elements were even not in favour of lifting ban on the third time premiership. “We don’t want to go in past, as this atmosphere will be harmful for democracy,” he added. Railways Minister Khawaja Saad Rafiq jumped into the discussion and cooled down the atmosphere by paying tributes to Zulfikar Ali Bhutto, clarifying that Nisar’s remarks were misunderstood by the PPP lawmakers.
PkMAP chief Mahmood Khan Ackakzai urged both Nisar and Khursheed to end animosity and shake hands. Later, the house accepted the privilege motion of Seikh Rashid Ahmed and referred it to the house committee. Rashid moving his motion also requested the speaker to form special committee on it.
Dr Shireen Mazari on a point of order asked the lawmakers to refuse to go to USA with any delegation as a protest. The house was later informed that demands of legal fraternity including security, separate courts and payment of compensation would be accepted. “The government has accepted demands and I will discuss it with Prime Minister Sharif on his return to fulfil them immediately,” said Information Minister Pervez Rashid responding to a point of order raised by PTI lawmaker Shah Mehmood Qureshi.
“A letter has been written to Rangers to manage security in the premises of F-8 district courts, Islamabad,” he added. “Action against culprits will start after the inquiry report of the judicial commission,” he informed. A report about first quarterly year 2013-14 of central board of directorate of State Bank was also laid before the house.