NA, Senate prorogued sine die as MPs reject JIT

Ruckus, unrest, anti-Nawaz sloganeering bring parliamentary proceedings to a halt in both houses; Khursheed Shah says JIT of PM’s subordinates not acceptable; Aitzaz Ahsan says Panama verdict to be remembered for years just like that of Justice Munir, who introduced Doctrine of Necessity; Siraj advises Nawaz to step down; joint opposition alliance proposed

ISLAMABAD: The joint opposition in both houses of parliament – Senate and National Assembly (NA) – on Friday decided to wage a struggle within the parliament seeking resignation from Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif for the sake of a transparent inquiry by the Joint Investigation Team (JIT) as per the direction of the Supreme Court (SC) in the Panama case. There was also a proposal to form a grand opposition alliance

Due to the ruckus and unrest, both the houses have been prorogued for an indefinite period. The opposition announced that it would not accept the JIT unless and until the resignation of the prime minister was tendered.

A parliamentary meeting of the joint opposition of both the houses, chaired jointly by Opposition Leader in the National Assembly Syed Khursheed Shah and Opposition Leader in the Senate Aitzaz Ahsan, was attended by all the opposition parties except Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM).

The meeting was summoned by Leader of the Opposition Syed Khursheed Shah after the verdict of the SC to formulate a joint strategy in both houses of parliament. During the meeting, it was decided to requisite the session of the NA if the government prorogued it.

Later, talking to newsmen outside the Parliament House after sessions of the NA and Senate, Aitzaz Ahsan flanked by Khursheed Shah and Jammat-e-Islami (JI) Ameer Sirajul Haq, said the PPP rejected the JIT probe of the Sharif family by subordinates of Nawaz.

“The JIT would remain ineffective, just like the one formed for the Model Town incident," he said. Terming the Qatari letter a wastepaper, Aitzaz said no action was taken against the PML-N when it had attacked the SC in 1996.

In a sarcastic tone, Aitzaz said this verdict would be remembered for years just like that of Justice Munir, who initiated the law of necessity. “We salute two senior judges of the Supreme Court,” he added.

He said it has always been witnessed that policies have been softened when it comes to Nawaz Sharif and other members of the Sharif family. He said two judges disqualified Nawaz Sharif for being dishonest while three judges also penned statements against the prime minister. “Therefore, all lawmakers have agreed for Nawaz’s resignation,” he said.

Khursheed Shah said, “We have always practised positive politics and the PPP provided buttress to Nawaz Sharif when the PTI had staged a sit-in to save democracy, but now Nawaz Sharif must resign for the sake of parliament.”

He said those who have no jurisdiction had been tasked to probe the Sharif family. “We reject the JIT consisting of the subordinates of Nawaz Sharif,” he said. He demanded the JIT be made up of judges of SC or chief justices of all the high courts. “Previously, we asked Nawaz Sharif not to step down. Now, we call upon him to resign in order to save democracy and national institutions,” he added.

“Now the prime minister should decide whether he wants to resign to save parliament or he is going to fight for his rule,” he said.

The opposition leader said that for the sake of saving the democratic system in the country, the PPP also faced allegations of acting as friendly opposition.

Reiterating the demand for resignation of the prime minister, the opposition leader said if he did not want to quit on the basis of power, then the opposition was left with no other way but to adopt the way of protest.

During the NA session, Khursheed Shah categorically rejected the formation of the JIT comprising officials from FIA, NAB, SECP, State Bank and two intelligence agencies. “How officers of BPS 19 and 20 who are subordinates of the prime minister and draw salary from the government can hold investigation against Nawaz Sharif,” he questioned.

The members of the combined opposition gathered and tore the copies of order of the day while raising slogans against Nawaz Sharif. The House once again echoed with slogans of ‘Go Nawaz Go’ and ‘Dako, Dako (dacoit)’.

The situation forced Deputy Speaker Murtaza Javed Abbasi to prorogue the session without taking the agenda of the day and giving floor to Imran Khan who was also present in the House.

The pandemonium in the House started when after speaking on a point of order, the opposition leader asked the chair to give floor to Imran Khan.

However, the deputy speaker did not accept the demand of the opposition saying as it was Question-Hour, therefore, it required suspension of rules through a motion. The government wanted to move the motion to suspend the rules but the chair said he would allow the same till the opposition maintained order in the House.

Minister for Parliamentary Affairs Shaikh Aftab Ahmad said all the political parties should accept the decision of the SC. “The opposition is facing disappointment and frustration following the decision of the SC." He also termed the attitude of the opposition parties as shameful.

The minister rejected the opposition's demand of resignation from the prime minister saying they did not enjoy any mandate to forward such demand. “Only a day ago, they lost the provincial assembly seat from Chakwal and now they want the prime minister to resign,” he said.

In the Senate, amid loud chants of 'go Nawaz go' and massive desk thumping, opposition lawmakers wearing black armbands, asked the 'pseudo Prime Minister' Nawaz Sharif to step down.

Aitzaz insisted according to the rules, Nawaz was the leader of the House. He noted that there would be debates and discussions on the judgement at different forums. 

It was a rare scene in the House in recent years that the opposition senators kept demanding the prime minister’s resignation through loud shouts, cat calls and desk thumping, paying no attention to repeated calls by Chairman Senate Mian Raza Rabbani to 'please resume you seats'.

After the business listed on the orders of the day was over, Leader of the Opposition Senator Aitzaz Ahsan rose to point out that two senior-most SC judges had declared Nawaz Sharif is no more Sadiq and Ameen while three others also called for more probe through a JIT.

“It is the demand of the combined opposition that the prime minister, who failed to come up with sources of his income with which London properties were bought, should tender resignation,” he emphasised.

He said the PML-N leaders had distributed sweets to please the Sharif family. He asked Nawaz to step down to save the country’s future, as he had played havoc with the state institutions for his corruption.

He feared Nawaz would manipulate the JIT, being “champion of this art’; therefore, he must step down till the time the investigation is completed in 60 days. 

He asked Nawaz to appoint someone else from the National Assembly as the premier. He said Nawaz, who had on his wrist a watch valuing Rs460 million and having properties and assets abroad, presented a bleak future of Pakistan, if he managed to get scot-free and the system continued this way.

PML-N senators Nihal Hashmi, Najma Hameed, Nuzhat Sadiq, Yaqub Nasir and Saud Majid rose to raise slogans for their leader and some of them also chanted 'go Imran go'. But they could not match the opposition's protest and also complied with the chair's request and resumed their seats.

In response to repeated calls by the chair, asking Senator Aitzaz to sit down, the opposition leader instead signaled to him to also join them in the protest. 

Sirajul Haq advised Nawaz to step down from his office until investigations are completed. “It is norm of civilised persons to quit after they are alleged and it will be better for the government if Nawaz steps down allowing a free and transparent inquiry into the allegations,” he added. He termed corruption a cancer for society.