Opposition to move SC for MPs production order

ISLAMABAD: The opposition in the National Assembly on Friday threatened to move the Supreme Court (SC) to get production orders for detained parliamentarians if they do not get relief from the Speaker.

Speaking on the floor of the House, the PML-N parliamentary leader in the National Assembly Khawaja Muhammad Asif said they would have to invoke the Supreme Court decision given in case of production orders of Makhdoom Javed Hashmi, nearly 20 years back.

“As a last resort, we will have to invoke the year 2002 judgment of the Supreme Court for production orders of Javed Hashmi if we do not get relief from this House which is biggest forum for us,” he said.

Khawaja Asif said the sitting Chief Justice of Pakistan Asif Saeed Khosa was also a member of the Supreme Court bench, which in its decision in 2002 said that not allowing a legislator to attend proceedings of the House would be equal to denying people of his constituency, their representation in Parliament.

“Our members are being blocked to attend proceedings and our requests are not being entertained by the chair,” he said.

The PML-N senior parliamentarian further said that the opposition parties would also move the Supreme Court against the government on reports that it plans to file a reference against the Chief Election Commissioner (CEC).

He maintained that the President of Pakistan had no inherent constitutional powers to appoint members of the Election Commission of Pakistan. “This is constitutional matter and there has been many violations of the Constitution on issue of appointment of the ECP members,” he said adding that the President had violated the Constitution.

He alleged that the doors of Parliament were being closed to the opposition on different issues. “We will have to knock the doors of the institution (Supreme Court) if our doors in this august House are closed,” he said.

A number of ordinances were laid before the House today. These include, “The Pakistan Penal Code (Amendment) Ordinance 2019”, “Federal Government Employees Housing Authority Ordinance, 2019”, “National Counter Terrorism Authority (Amendment) Ordinance 2019” and “National Information Technology Board Ordinance, 2019. The opposition staged a walkout of the House protesting the government move to legislate through ordinances.

The House also adopted an amendment providing for election of more than one standing committee for a ministry having more than one division and where divisions are headed by separate ministers.

Coming harsh on one-year performance of the government, he questioned as to why condition of economy had not improved if according to rulers, the corrupt practices have been stopped. “Where had gone the laundered and looted money,” he asked. He said the Senate chairman against whom the opposition moved the no-confidence motion, issued production orders of the PML-N senator. “It is a matter of shame for us. If the Senate chairman can issue production, what stops you to do so,” he asked the Speaker.

National Assembly Speaker Asad Qaisar said that he had issued record production orders. He said that he had not refused production orders for the detained parliamentarians.

“I have not said No to production orders. The cases are being examined as per law to issue production orders,” he said.

The PPP parliamentarian Raja Pervaiz Ashraf also regretted non-issuance of production orders of detained parliamentarians. He said that Asif Ali Zardari wanted to clarify contents of his speech regarding Mohajir but he did not get production orders.

Meanwhile, the National Assembly was informed on Friday that an additional amount of Rs192 billion has been recovered as a result of PTI government’s successful campaign against power pilferage.

Earlier, Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi made it clear that the federal government did not intend to interfere in Karachi and harm the provincial autonomy.

Giving a policy statement on floor of the National Assembly, the foreign minister maintained that federal government would not disturb the provincial government in Sindh without any reason. “I am giving a policy statement on floor here that we respect the Constitution and will continue to do so in future also,” he said.

Earlier, the PPP parliamentarian Syed Khursheed Shah said the federal government has initiated a new debate while talking about Article 149 is not in interest of the federation. “ There may be some other intention “behind this debate but there should be no debate on ‘Katchra’,” he said.

He asked the Government that no such issues should be raised which the country’s enemy like butcher of India could use in his favour. “ The responsible personalities in the Government should not raise issues which can harm the federation,” he said.