PPP submits motion to discuss PM-Jindal meeting in NA

Privilege motion also submitted against Interior Ministry

ISLAMABAD: The Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) has decided to take up the meeting of Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif with Indian business tycoon Sajjan Jindal in the upcoming session of the National Assembly and submitted an adjournment motion in the National Assembly Secretariat to discuss this issue.

The adjournment motion has been signed by legislators of the PPP Syed Naveed Qamar, Shazia Marri, Dr Nafisa Shah, Nawab Yousaf Talpur, Aijaz Hussain Jakhrani, Belum Husnanin and Dr Azra Fazal Pechuhu.

Through their adjournment motion, the legislators of the PPP stated that the secret meeting of Nawaz Sharif and Sajjan Jindal on April 26 amid tiff diplomatic relations is a source of grave concern for the people of Pakistan. “It was also reported that certain protocols were relaxed to hold the meeting in Murree,” the PPP lawmakers stated in the adjournment motion.

The motion stated that even after the meeting, no explanation whatsoever was offered officially and such acts are totally unworthy and unexpected of a prime Minister of the state and gave rise to suspicions and concerns.

“Therefore, we believe that it is a very serious matter which calls for complete openness and transparency and therefore needs to be discussed immediately on the floor of the House,” it stated.

The PPP has also submitted a privilege motion against spokesman of Interior Ministry for what it termed his derogatory and disgraceful remarks and baseless accusation against Opposition Leader in the National Assembly and Chairman Public Accounts Committee Syed Khursheed Shah.

The privilege motion submitted in the National Assembly on Friday with the signatures of Syed Naveed Qamar, Nawab Yousaf Talpur, Aijaz Hussain Jakhrani, Dr Nafisa Shah, Shazia Marri and Imran Zafar Leghari stated that the spokesman made baseless accusations against the leader of the opposition as reported widely in print and electronic media.

It stated that such undignified comments by a government official against a lawmaker, who also serves as the leader of the opposition and chairman Public Accounts Committee, are unethical and unlawful.

The motion stated that such blatant breach of the privilege of an elected member in particular and that of the Parliament in general needs to be questioned.