ISLAMABAD: Joint Opposition in the Senate Tuesday castigated the government for not doing enough to deal with the situation, arising out of the Supreme Court judgement in Aasia Bibi case and accused the Prime Minister Imran Khan of bypassing the Parliament on his visits to Saudi Arabia and China.
The government was flayed for taking action against small fish, who attacked vendors or resorted to ransacking facilities, terming them miscreants and senators questioned, why others were spared. Opposition senators alleged that for three days, there was no sign of a government in Pakistan.
Legislators asked the government to take the Parliament into confidence on what transpired in negotiations with the Saudi Arabian leadership and in China, as Information Minister Chaudhry Fawad Hussain had previously said that Riyadh had put forward tough conditions for the financial package and now during PM’s second visit, the package was given and the legislature was not taken on board about it.
Some Opposition senators agitated on the kind of replies given by Minister for Communications Murad Saeed to their questions about the government’s economic and foreign policies. Some of their remarks regarding the minister were expunged, who repeatedly sought more time, ignoring Chairman Senate Muhammad Sadiq Sanjrani’s calls, asking him to resume his seat.
Former Senate chairman Mian Raza Rabbani walked out of the House after his proposal of initiating the sitting with a debate on the recent incidents, which gripped the entire country for three days on the calls of Tehreek-e-Labaik Pakistan, whose leadership openly incited people for rebellion against the judiciary and the armed forces, as pointed out by prime minister in his speech to the nation, was rejected. The chair said that senators were free to express their views on this serious matter as well.
However, Rabbani insisted that the Upper House of the Parliament should debate it and if it were not to be discussed then what else should it do and what message of its seriousness would be conveyed? He then exited from the House.
Opening the debate on the three-point agenda, on the basis of which, the Opposition had filed requisition, PPP Senator Sherry Rehman said, “We all stand united on matters of national interest but the tumult in the streets that forced the country to a standstill for three days necessitates a well thought-out action, not compromising deals, lest we drive ourselves towards a point of no return”.
She said the situation was such that the country remained paralysed and added it would be mentioned here that such things happened earlier as well and agreements signed but this for the first time that the state’s integrity was undermined and challenged even in streets. “It is a massive point of concern that action is not taken even at this juncture, then we may be in a closed end street from where it may be very difficult to return for our generations. There is a limit- a redline,” she argued.
She pointed out that in view of the chaotic three days and despite being the opposition, PPP didn’t shy away from extending support to the government so that it could provide protection to the horror-stricken people of the country.
Prime minister, she noted, made a clear speech and if anyone opposed, him, PPP extended full support to him, as the army chief was called by name and then, the army and the judiciary dragged, asking what message was being given. “We do not want the state and Constitution to be sullied like this. If we start to examine, they will say this was also done before; the state entered a similar agreement last year as well. What happened this time is a grave tragedy. We are not here to taunt and challenge the government. Our army chief was called out by name. The judiciary, the state and the army were dragged: what kind of message is being sent with these actions?" she asked.
"The state ought to protect the judges. Whether their decisions are seen right or otherwise, the state should be behind them. Those who are openly rebelling against the law and Constitution should be dealt with. This is a trying time for Pakistan: the government should not try to bypass the Parliament," she asserted.
She sought answers from the government over loans secured from foreign governments and foreign policy. The Parliament was not taken into confidence on loans. "We have also promised to mediate the Yemen-Saudi Arabia dispute: on what terms will this mediation be done? We should tackle our own wars first," she insisted.
Senator Sherry contended the tsunami of inflation had added to masses miseries and added if there were compulsions, please tell the Parliament. “What promises have been made with other countries? What were the terms you accepted now but could not accept six weeks ago,” she asked.
“What IMF package is the government going for? The stringent conditions that were expected to flow from it have already been met by the government in the form of gas bomb and petrol bomb,” she said.
As the proceedings commenced of an Opposition’s requisitioned session, the House offered Fateha for the departed souls of JUI (S) Chief Maulana Samiul Haq, who was assassinated Friday last as well as the security officers and others martyred in recent acts of terrorism.
Senate unanimously passed a resolution expressing grief and sorrow over the assassination of prominent religious scholar and former Senator Maulana Samiul Haq. The resolution was moved by Leader of the House Shibli Faraz. The resolution paid tributes to political and religious services of Maulana Samiul
Senator Maulana Abdul Ghafoor Haideri of the Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F) criticised the verdict to set Asia Bibi free and described it as murder of justice and wondered why political parties were not forthcoming in their reaction, which had termed hanging of Zulfikar Ali Bhutto a judicial murder and sacking of premiers Gilani and Pervaiz Ashraf and Nawaz Sharif as murder of justice. Some of his remarks, particularly against the judges were expunged by the chair.
Maulana Abdul Ghafoor Haideri said they always talked of restraint and moderation and insisted that the issue of blasphemy was not over and a million march had already been announced in Karachi.
The chair reminded him that there could be no debate over the conduct of judges and ruled that all personal remarks made against judges and their judgements should be expunged from the proceedings.
The National Party Senator Tahir Bizenjo said for three days, there was anarchy, lawlessness and chaos across Pakistan.
“The jalao and gherao did not occur in just three days. It is a result of wrong interior and foreign policies. There was chaos in a manner, as was fascism rampant on German roads in 1940s. Stop it before it plays havoc with the country. Fascism fizzled out after destroying Japan, Germany and Europe,” he warned.
Regretting the line taken by the opposition, Murad Saeed that he had come to the House expecting some good suggestions to come out of this debate. He added, "The Constitution accords the right to peaceful protest to every citizen. Every party had said we do not want a repeat of Lal Masjid or the Model Town tragedy," he reminded the opposition parties, addressing criticism of the government not having done enough to address the protests.
JUI-Fazl Maulana Attaur Rehman asked the government to probe the assassination of Maulana Sami, as there were efforts to make this person controversial and defame religious scholars. Before the debate formally started, Minister of IT Khalid Maqbool Siddiqui moved a motion for withdrawal of proposed amendments to the Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act on behalf of the government.
The minister argued that the bill had been authored on the directives of deposed Islamabad High Court judge Shaukat Aziz Siddiqui and it was therefore proper that the government re-examine it.
JI’s Mushtaq Ahmad contended that the case should be referred back to the trial court and due process of justice be fulfilled, removing the impression of facing pressure. He termed the judgement extremely controversial, causing anxiety among masses, who had rejected it for it was given under world pressure.
