KARACHI: Minister for Defence Khwaja Muhammad Asif said on Monday whatever he told in the assembly was a matter of principle. He said in the Geo TV’s programme “Aaj Shahzeb Khanzada Kay Saath” that the Tehreek-e-Insaf returned to the assembly after so many days and it was the responsibility of the Speaker to ask them what was the position of the resignations they had submitted. It was also strange that Imran Khan said even today after coming out of the Assembly that it was the product of rigging and, therefore, was fake, although he had attended the session. Khwaja Asif said it was my right to ask him as to why he was sitting inside the assembly when he continues to call it fake. Khwaja Aslf said the PML-N is a democratic party and I can take a different stance than the party, therefore, I told the Speaker to ask them where they had been and what was the position on resignations they had submitted. Still they had been demanding the resignation of Leader of the House, kept calling him names, mounted attack on the assembly and now they had come in and are sitting in the same assembly. You have come and attended the session but as soon as you went out of the assembly you are using the same abusive language for the assembly. Khwaja said I had raised the question that the PTI members attending the assembly should have felt ashamed of their attitude. Responding to a question, Khwaja Asif said: “I had not taken any permission from Mian Nawaz Sharif and neither Mian Nawaz Sharif asked me about it.” Senior leader of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf Jehangir Tareen, speaking in the programme, referred to Khwaja Asif’s criticism of the PTI in the session of the National Assembly. He said that the minister did that with the consent and permission of Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif. Jahangir Tareen also mentioned Ishaq Dar in his conversation with Shahzeb. He said Dar is a very intelligent man. He was also present in the assembly, Tareen said and lauded Dar’s role was the most important in formation of Judicial Commission. Tareen said it was Ishaq Dar who convinced us to come to assemblies and told us to normalise the atmosphere by doing so. But the harsh criticism by Khwaja Asif of the PTI in the presence of Nawaz Sharif indicated that Khwaja Asif is afraid of the Judicial Commission. He appears very much frightened over irregularities in his constituency during the polls, which would be exposed. Tareen said Khwaja Asif was not happy with Ishaq Dar and expressed displeasure over formation of the Judicial Commission. He said it was going on with the permission of Nawaz Sharif, because he was very much present in the assembly. Tareen said we regret this attitude very much. When asked, Tareen said Speaker National Assembly, Ayaz Sadiq made an effort to turn the situation to normal, still he allowed Khwaja Asif to continue his speech, which also included talking on the Yemen issue. Tareen said the speaker, after giving the Floor to Khwaja Asif, should have allowed Imran Khan to speak, which he intentionally did not do and gave the floor to Maulana Fazlur Rahman. Tareen reiterated that the Parliament was fake as it was formed against the mandate of the people. He said we will continue to assert that the parliament is fake, until the Judicial Commission gives its decision. He said the session of the National Assembly was summoned today on the situation in Yemen. Earlier an APC was called on the 16th December tragedy and the PTI had attended it to discuss a national issue. He pointed out that Imran Khan went out of the House when he was not allowed to speak. Giving his analytical views, the host Shahzeb Khanzada said the session was summoned today to discuss the situation in Yemen but it became victim to politics. On the other hand Yemen is being bombed by the Saudi and the allied forces. He said the forces of different countries, led by Saudi Arabia, are fighting with the Houthi rebels. He said Saudi Arabia wants Pakistan to provide full military assistance to the allied forces. The joint session of the parliament was summoned today to take a decision in this regard. The defence minister informed the House that Saudi Arabia has asked for Pakistan’s land forces, naval ships and fighter planes, but the Parliament would be taken into confidence before making a final decision in this regard. He pointed that it is a determined policy that integrity of Saudi Arabia would be safeguarded at al costs and the government wanted to take a decision in the national interest. He said Pakistan would prefer a dialogue for the purpose of peace in the region and the prime minister is in contact with friendly countries to resolve the issue peacefully.
