The Lower House of parliament on Friday again witnessed uproar and walkout by the opposition parties over inflated gas bills, arrest of Sindh Assembly Speaker Agha Siraj Durrani and failure to issue production orders for PML-N legislator Khawaja Saad Rafique.
During the National Assembly session, the opposition members raised protest by tearing up the gas bills. They gathered in front of the Speaker’s dais and demanded that he issue production orders for Rafique. They also created disturbance as Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leader and Communications Minister Murad Saeed addressed the session, and walked out of the House later.
Murad Saeed regretted the behaviour of the opposition parties in the assembly. He said Pakistan is currently confronting several challenges, with India resorting to threatening tone against the country. He said the time warrants that all the political parties rise above their differences and give a message of unity to the world. He said all the parties should stand together for the sake of the country.
The minister continued that the increase in gas and electricity prices was a result of the flawed policies of the previous governments which left behind a circular debt of Rs 1,200 billion. He said Pakistan’s image abroad was improving under the leadership of Imran Khan.
Murad Saeed regretted that three-time prime minister Nawaz Sharif was coming out as a traitor in front of everyone. “His controversial interview was presented by India at the International Court of Justice (ICJ) in Indian spy Kulbhushan Jadhav case hearing as a proof,” he lamented.
Shahid Khaqan Abbasi said the way Speaker of a federating unit was taken into custody and his house was raided poses a threat to the democracy. Punjab Assembly Speaker also has similar cases against him, he said, adding that the people of Sindh are asking questions about the way Durrani was arrested by the National Accountability Bureau.
He said production orders for Khawaja Saad Rafique were still not issued. The Speaker is custodian of the House and it is his responsibility to issue the production orders, he stressed.
Abbasi said the House did not initiate a substantive debate in the last six months on the issues of economy and matters being faced by the public. “People from my constituency are coming to me with inflated bills,” the PML-N leader said, adding that the issue of inflated bills should be resolved. “People are burdened with inflation and the economy is in dire straits. But, we waste time on irrelevant discussions in this august House,” he said. Addressing the Speaker’s chair, he urged for the parliament to play its role. He stressed that the opposition was ready to work at nights and on weekends. “We want the parliament to work.”
Minister for Inter-Provincial Coordination Fehmida Mirza said the opposition members have infringed the sanctity of the House by surrounding the dais of the Speaker. She said those claiming themselves to be proponents of democratic norms should respect the office of the Speaker. She said the process of accountability will go ahead and the democratic system and the parliament will also continue to function.
The House was later adjourned to meet again on Monday at 4 pm.
Published in Daily Times, February 23rd 2019.
