Rumpus in PA over Panama Leaks

LAHORE

Punjab Assembly witnessed a commotion on Friday after the Speaker Rana Iqbal tried to defer for the next day the adjournment motions taking advantage of the absence of Law Minister Rana Sanaullah and parliamentary secretary concerned from the House who were busy negotiating with the representatives of journalists protesting against the registration of criminal cases against journalists by Okara Police for reporting the protests of peasants.

The Leader of the Opposition Mian Mehmoodur Rasheed promptly rose to lodge protest against the Speaker, asking why he wanted to delay the motions that questioned the alleged corruption of the prime minister and his family members on Panama Leaks issue. The opposition leader said the House should at least take up the adjournment motions for half an hour as specified in the House rules.

But the Speaker said half an hour was the maximum time for the adjournment motions and it depended upon the chair to allow as much time as deemed necessary. He said since the minister and parliamentary secretary concerned were not available; therefore, it was appropriate to defer the motions. The Opposition leader said entire country was discussing the Panama Leaks issue but it was strange that this august House was trying to shield the PM and his sons on the allegations of corruption. The Speaker also pleaded that there was no number on the motion of Opposition leader; therefore, it could not be entertained. But the opposition leader retorted that he had submitted it 12 days back and how could the secretariat failed in entering it and allocating it a diary number.

During this debate, all the opposition members rose to their seats and began raising slogans against the rulers corruption. Several appeals by the Speaker to the opposition members for bringing the House in order went on deaf ears as the commotion continued for several minutes during which nothing was audible. Taking a cue, some lady members from treasury benches also rose to their seats and began raising counter slogans against the opposition leaders and in support of the prime minister, adding further clamouring to the already prevalent noise.

Law Minister Rana Sanaullah tried in vain for several times to join in but the unruly House did not allow him any chance to enter into the fray. Finally, finding some respite from the noisy proceedings after few minutes, he requested the chair to fix time for debate on Panama Leaks any time Friday or on the next working day, but warned the opposition not to run away without listening to the treasury members.

Rana Sanaullah forewarned the opposition members that names of the brother-in-law and sisters of top opposition figure were to be announced in the next episode of Panama Leaks, who had offshore companies in Dubai and other lucrative stations. He said those revelations would be too embarrassing for the opposition members to show their faces in the open. 

But the opposition members did not wait any further and walked out of the House in protest, raising slogans against the prime minister and his family. During the walkout, someone from the opposition benches indicated the lack of quorum. Speakers ordered ringing of bells for several minutes but the quorum could not be restored, after which the proceedings were adjourned for Monday evening.

Earlier, the House unanimously passed a resolution tabled by Jamaat-i-Islami member Dr Waseem Akhtar condemning the Bangladesh government for executing senior leaders of Jamaat-i-Islami Bangladesh on charges of supporting Pakistan army during the Indian backed separation movement of 1971, through controversial war crimes tribunal and in violation of all international laws and norms of justice. The resolution strongly condemned the Bangladesh government for systematic political victimisation of Islamist leaders by executing them through sham tribunals on charges of showing loyalty to their country Pakistan against the Indian-backed separatist movement. The resolution expressed deep concern over Bangladesh supreme court for rejecting the appeal for JI Bangladesh ameer Dr Muti-ur-Rehman Nizami against the death sentence by the controversial war crimes tribunal. It said the Hasina Wajed led Dhaka government had already executed several JI leaders for the only crime of showing patriotism to their country – Pakistan.

It urged upon the federal government to use courageous diplomacy to raise the issue with UN, OIC and world bodies to stop further executions. Before the voting, treasury member Shaikh Allauddin drew Speakers attention to his resolution against the execution of two JI Bangladesh leaders Abdul Qadir Mullah and Qamaruzzaman Chaudhry but it was kept pending by the House for over a year.

The Speaker asked him to raise the issue in the presence of Law Minster, but Allauddin said if that resolution had been passed it would have been more supportive for the present resolution.