Opposition walks out of NA accusing speaker of partiality

ISLAMABAD: The combined opposition on Thursday walked out of the National Assembly (NA) to protest the alleged partial attitude of the speaker against the PTI members.Speaking on a point of order, senior leader of Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) Shah Mehmood Qureshi alleged that the Speaker NA had compromised the sanctity of his office.

Being the custodian of the House, the speaker should have shown impartiality, he added. He said that Ayaz Sadiq sent references to the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP), which were filed against the PTI leadership, including Imran Khan and Jehangir Tareen.

Quershi said that today the PTI chief presented the record before the House and the people. He said the opposition, in a meeting chaired by Syed Khursheed Ahmad Shah, decided to stage a walkout from the assembly.

Opposition Leader in the National Assembly Syed Khursheed Shah accused Ayaz Sadiq of partiality in his ruling over the Panama Papers references against Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif and the PTI chief Imran Khan.

Talking to the media outside the Parliament House on Thursday, Shah said the speaker, keeping in view the traditions of the House, should listen to the grievances of opposition members on the issue of references. It is now clear that the decision on rejection of the references was not the speaker’s own but it was a decision of somebody else, he said.

The rulers are afraid of disqualification over the references, he said adding that the option of no confidence motion against the speaker was discussed but no decision had been made yet. The decision to approach the Supreme Court against the speaker’s decision would be made by the PTI, he added.It has been clear before the nation who stands where on the issue, Shah said adding that we are not disappointed over the speaker’s decision.

PTI Chairman Imran Khan said in the NA that he does not accept Ayaz Sadiq as the Speaker and will call him Ayyar Sadiq. Parvaiz Malik, who was chairing the proceedings during the speech, expunged Imran’s remarks.

Khan said the act of sending the reference against him by Sadiq was blackmailing the opposition on the issue of after getting justice from nowhere, the only option left for him and his party was to approach masses and take to roads. During speech of the PTI chairman, Speaker Sardar Ayaz Sadiq did not chair proceedings of the House.

Khan warned the government that closure of roads to justice always leads to anarchy. “We have not been given justice by institutions like courts, Parliament, FBR, NAB and Election Commission of Pakistan,” the PTI chairman said.

Khan regretted that the reference against him was accepted whereas his name was not in Panama Leaks and no question was raised by the Speaker on reference against the Prime Minister when his family members’ names are in Panama Papers. “The Speaker did not accept reference against Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif because he (Speaker) fears that more disclosures will come up if Nawaz or his family members are called at Election Commission of Pakistan,” he said.

He recalled that there was contradiction in statements of Nawaz Sharif and his children with regards to owning off-shore companies and property. “The person who brought his income to Pakistan from abroad is being victimised but no action against those who transferred money to London,” the PTIC chairman said adding the Speaker himself had doubted his credibility.

He said, “Nawaz was caught red-handed doing corruption. He should come to the House to clarify his position if there is real democracy in the country.” Khan was of the view that the future of Pakistan was at stake as he said the Prime Minister was promoting corruption by playing havoc with democratic institution. “Nawaz Sharif is afraid of ToRs against him and he is escaping from his accountability,” he said.

He maintained that none of his property details and assets were hidden as he purchased flat in London in 1983 through Niazi Services, seven-year before creation of Shaukat Khanam Memorial Trust.

Responding to points raised by the PTI chairman, the Minister for Railways Khawaja Saad Rafique said that Speaker’s behavior in the House was impartial and his decision regarding references was correct. “It was the same Speaker who did not accept resignations of PTI members in 2013 and prevented them from committing political suicide,” he said.

Saad Rafique said Imran Khan has been staging dramas and according to him those institutions are corrupt which do not act on his desires.  “You are playing to the gallery and you sabotaged PanamaLeaks issue,” he said adding that the government would not allow anyone to make institutions football.

The minister said that Imran Khan himself had admitted that gambling was being practiced when he was captain of the national cricket team. He also offered the opposition parties to come to the talks table and give up politics of agitation. Later, Imran Khan hinted at changing the venue and date of his march on Raiwind.

Talking to media persons outside his residence and later at the Parliament House, he said that they would hold consultation with the opposition parties and sought their support, saying the issue of PanamaLeaks could not be put aside by hurling threats.

He said if the opposition so desired, he was ready to change the date of the march and also the venue. Imran clarified he had announced a march on Raiwind and not on the residence of Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif.

Imran vowed to rally entire Pakistan at Raiwind march for accountability of the prime minister with regard to Panama Papers. Meanwhile, NA Speaker Sardar Sadiq said that his ruling on two references submitted against Prime Minister Muhammad Nawaz Sharif and Imran Khan was according to the law and a result of careful analysis of the documents in light of constitution, rules and regulations.

According to the NA spokesman, he said he did not make decisions to create equilibrium by forwarding two references from each side to the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP); rather, it was based on merit.

He said if anybody dislikes his ruling, he can move court against it. He said Imran has not liked his face all along. He said it was not his office but the ECP was the right forum to decide the fate of these documents within 90 days. Moreover independent judiciary is also present in this regard, he added.