NA witnesses variety of proceedings on 2nd last day

ISLAMABAD: The sitting National Assembly on second last day of its five-year tenure on Wednesday witnessed a variety of proceedings which saw presentation of group photos to chief whips of three major parties while the lawmakers continued speaking on different issues amid lack of quorum.

A photograph in which three parties’ chief whips including Aijaz Jhakrani (PPP-P), Shireen Mazari (PTI) and Sheikh Aftab (PML-N) were standing together awarded to them on the directions of the chair.

“You can see how three personalities are smiling in the photograph,” the Speaker Sardar Ayaz Sadiq remarked. The Speaker said three chief whips with their connivance had been pitting members against each other during the last five years.

The MQM parliamentarian Shaikh Salahuddin staged walkout from the House after the Speaker did not allow him to move a resolution with regard to census results in Karachi. Salahuddin said the population of Karachi had been shown 15 million less while the government had promised re-checking prior to general elections but now matter was being deferred. “I will not allow you to move the resolution,” the Speaker said.

Dr. Arif Alvi of PTI rejected objections of Maulana Fazlur Rehman and Afghanistan with regard to Durand Line. “The reservations of Afghanistan about Durand carry no weight,” he said. He also decried energy and water crisis in Karachi saying that emergency situation had been created in the city during the last few months.

Speaking on a point of order, Capt (R) Safdar of PML-N who is facing NAB references demanded that his case should be left to the coming government. He pointed out that Wajid Zia did not appear before the Committee and that was why they were going to lose the case.

Referring to a book ‘Spy Chronicles’ written by Lt. General (R) Asad Durrani, the son-in-law of Nawaz Sharif said had the book written by a political leader, he might have been declared as traitor. He pointed out that Asad Durrani was summoned to the GHQ and his name was also placed on the ECL but the Parliament should be given opportunity to decide his destiny.

Safdar said the credit of bringing people of tribal areas in the national mainstream goes to Nawaz Sharif saying his leader materialised dream of Quaid-e-Azam. He apologised to all members of the House if through his act or speech he hurt any body’s feelings.

Ali Muhammad Khan of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) on another point of order appreciated the step taken by the military leadership of calling ex-ISI chief to the GHQ.

The PTI member also demanded that Nawaz Sharif should also be summoned by the concerned authorities to explain his position on giving pro-India statements.

The MQM member Saman Sultan Jaffari raised issue of alleged sexual harassment of female students in the Bahria University. “The female students have been keeping silence they have fears to injustice in their marks,” she said.

Maulana Jamaluddin of JUI-F was not happy with merger of Fata and Pata with KP province alleging that the will of people of tribal areas was not sought while deciding their fate.

He complained that the JUI-F remained loyal to the government but they did not get the same response from the other side. “It was rather a cruel act of deciding fate of the people of tribal areas,” he said.

Maulana Jamaluddin said it were the Speaker Sardar Ayaz Sadiq and Minister for Parliamentary Affairs Sheikh Aftab Ahmad who played prominent role in running proceedings of the House.

Aijaz Jhakrani, MQM-P Saman Sultana Jaffery, Sahibzada Tariq Ullah, Jamaluddin Afghani and others also lauded the Speaker National Assembly for smoothly running the House. MQM-P’s Waseem Hussain said that there should be accountability for all including politicians.

MQM-P’s Kishwar Zehra said the lawmakers have failed to deliver in the Parliament. “Voters send us (MNAs) to perform but we (MNAs) did not properly deliver,” said Zehra.

The National Assembly also passed the Service Tribunals (Amendment) Bill, 2018. The bill was moved by Minister for Parliamentary Affairs Sheikh Aftab Ahmed.

The house observed one minute silence over the killing of social activist and trader Charanjeet Singh in Peshawar.