ISLAMABAD: The combined opposition on Thursday staged walkout from the National Assembly proceedings against non issuance of production orders of Khawaja Saad Rafique from custody of the National Accountability Bureau (NAB).
Opposition Leader Shahbaz Sharif taking up issue on floor of the House said Saad Rafique was arrested by the NAB recently but the chair was yet to issue his production orders. “I will request you to issue production order which will increase prestige of the Parliament,” he said.
Shahbaz Sharif observed that NAB was providing enough heating to the opposition’s leaders during the winter seasons. “But there is difference in standard of heaters provided to the government and opposition members,” he said.
Replying to his comments, Defence Minister Pervaiz Khattak said if NAB and the government were hand in hand, how he would be facing NAB investigations, adding that he has committed no corruption, resulting into loss to the government. Speaker Asad Qaisar did not immediately issued production but he said that he would not let down the House. “I am consulting with persons concerning legal matters before taking the decision,” he said.
Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi on the occasion said that requesting production orders for a member was due right of opposition and the same should be respected. He said the production orders of Leader of the Opposition were also issued earlier.
“This is murder of democracy. We will continue to stage walkout of the National Assembly proceedings till production orders of Saad Rafique are issued,” former NA Speaker Sardar Ayaz Sadiq while speaking later on floor of the House towards end of day’s proceedings said.
Ayaz Sadiq while referring to precedents of his tenure as the Speaker said it was prerogative of custodian of the House to issue production orders of any member. In this connection, he recalled that he issued production order of then independent member Jamshed Dasti despite the fact that former Punjab Law Minister Rana Sanaullah was not ready to facilitate Dasti to attend the NA session.
He also suggested Speaker Asad Qaisar not to consult government on issuance of production orders. “It is your prerogative to issue production orders of a member,” he said asking the Speaker that his name would be remembered in golden words if he does so.