Arrest of Agha Siraj Durrani: Uproar in NA, Punjab PA

ISLAMABAD: The opposition parties in the National Assembly (NA) and Punjab Assembly on Thursday lodged strong protest against the arrest of the Sindh Assembly Speaker Agha Siraj Durrani, terming the action a blot in the face of democratic history of the country.

“This is not the way of meting out animal-like behaviour with the speaker of the very first assembly of Pakistan by the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) and arresting him from Islamabad,” ex-prime minister Raja Pervaiz Ashraf and another senior PPP leader Syed Khursheed Shah said while speaking on the floor of the House.

The members of Pakistan People’s Party (PPP), who attended proceedings of the House while wearing black bands around their arms, registered their protest while tearing copies of agenda and surrounding the speaker’s dais disallowing Dr Shireen Mazari and Dr Fahmida Mirza to speak.

Speaker Asad Qaisar, who was also reminded by the protesting members of sanctity of the National Assembly and four provincial assemblies and their speakers, adjourned the proceedings of the House when the opposition’s parliamentarians gathered in front of his dais after he gave floor to former speaker Dr Fahmida Mirza. Earlier, the two senior PPP leaders and Federal Minister for Education Shafqat Mehmood had delivered counter speeches. “Mr Speaker, you should also protest against the arrest of Agha Siraj Durrani which is shameful and contempt of parliament,” Khursheed Shah, while announcing on part of the opposition parties for the sake of respect of parliament, its members and politicians, said, adding that their protest would not confine to mere war of words.

The two PPP parliamentarians also tried to play the Sindh Card during their speeches as they questioned as to what message was being sent to the people of Sindh province through such actions.

“What message you are giving to people of Sindh and what will be their feelings against the arrest of Siraj Durrani who was arrested without any investigations and evidence against him,” he said questioning to where the national politics was being taken.

He regretted that an elected Speaker of the Sindh Assembly was dragged and arrested while his family was made hostage for 10 to 12 hours to search his house in Karachi. “We will register a strong protest to safeguard respect of parliamentarians and politicians and parliament is the right place for the purpose,” he said.

Former prime minister Raja Pervaiz Ashraf also regretted that in over 70 years history of Pakistan, none of the Speakers faced such disgraceful behaviour. “We do not to fan provincialism but the incident has hurt feelings of Sindhis and whole Sindh province and provincial cabinet is under protest over the incident,” he said.

“We are not against accountability but want to question as to why Siraj Durrani was arrested from Islamabad and his family was made hostage for 12 hours to search his house in Karachi,” he said questioning as to which institution was above from the Parliament.

Pointing out that the Sindh Assembly Speaker was arrested on charges of having assets beyond income, challenging that no member of this House will be able to provide receipts if he is arrested on the same charges.

The opposition members surrounded Speaker’s dais and did not allow former prime minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi following speeches of the two opposition leaders and instead gave floor to an ex-speaker Dr Fahmida Mirza. “I am former speaker of National Assembly, let me speak,” Dr Mirza repeatedly said.

However, the opposition members continued their protest and arguing with the Speaker forcing the chair adjourn proceedings till Friday.

Shahid Khaqan Abbasi who was not given the floor inside the House, talking to media outside Parliament House building said it was not issue of arrest Agha Siraj Durrani rather it was question of metting out of disgraceful attitude with Speaker of the National Assembly. “This is personal matter of Durrani rather it is issue of arrest of a Speaker which is considered as attack on democracy,” Abbasi flanked by Khawaja Asif and Ahsan Iqbal said.

Shahid Khaqan Abbasi said the National Assembly sittings should also be convened on Saturday and Sunday to debate economic issues and increase in tariffs of electricity and gas.

Khawaja Asif said the structure of the present government was standing on basis of false claims. “We want to save the system but the PTI government has no such intentions,” he said pointing out that blame of every problem is shift to the past governments.

Ahsan Iqbal said the people were made to cry with heavy increase in tariffs of electricity and gas, saying the PTI leadership which promises of heaven with masses, had put them in hell.

He said the government had become security risk for country’ s economy saying that so far the country had suffered economic loss of Rs700 billion to Rs1000 billion and the whole assistance received from China and Saudi Arabia had been eaten up the huge deficit.

Meanwhile, the opposition on Thursday staged walkout from the Punjab Assembly against the arrest of Sindh Assembly Speaker Agha Siraj Durrani. Law Minister Raja Basharat urged the opposition to cooperate with the government in the National Assembly if it considers the existing NAB laws draconian.

On the second day of the ongoing 7th PA session, the arrest of Durrani was condemned by the opposition members who boycotted the assembly proceedings and demanded immediate legislation to tame NAB authorities. The session began with a delay of nearly two hours with Deputy Speaker Mir Dost Mohammed Mazari in the chair. At the very outset, Hassan Murtaza, the parliamentary leader of the PPPP, on a point of order, voiced concerns over the series of incidents related to the ‘victimisation' of politicians by the NAB.

He said Durrani was arrested from the federal capital and asked what message was being conveyed to smaller provinces. He asked how he could be arrested in an undergoing inquiry as the entire nation knows that inquiries are going on against the prime minister, the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa chief minister and the federal defence minister.

Murtaza said Durrani was on a private visit to Islamabad and his arrest is a blow to the sanctity of institutions. He announced staging walkout and the PML-N joined the Pakistan People’s Party on this call.

The chair sent provincial ministers Chaudhry Zaheer, Mian Mehmood-ur-Rasheed and others to bring the opposition members back. They succeeded in convincing them to return.

Later, both the PML-N and PPP members criticised the NAB for targeting politicians and ‘acting after receiving instructions from somewhere else’.

Naseer Ahmed, PML-N member, said the arrest of Durrani is condemnable but with this, the treatment meted out to his family is also regrettable. He demanded registration of an FIR against officials who entered the house of Durrani. He said the NAB has been used as a tool to tarnish the image of politicians that should be stopped.

Citing the example of Abdul Aleem Khan, the MPA said he had been facing charges for several years but when his name started doing rounds for the slot of CM, he started receiving notices from the NAB, which indicates what is actually happening with politicians.

Khawaja Salman Rafique said just one investigation offer can decide the fate of anyone arrested by the accountability bureau. He said he is a politician but with him, there are several other poor people in the NAB custody and can't afford lawyers to plead their cases. He admitted that it was a fault of the PML-N and the PPP which didn't amend NAB laws. He said it is high time the present government moved ahead and made laws that could stop this institution from targeting people unlawfully.

Azma Zahid Bokhari of the PML-N remained critical of the existing laws and stated that only politicians had been held accountable for their deeds. She asked the government to tell how many judges and generals have been nabbed for corruption in Pakistan so far, adding that politicians have always been disrespected and the stigma of corruption has been attributed to them.

Aleem Khan said throughout his political career, he never sought any benefit for himself. He said he is sure justice would be done to him by Allah Almighty and he would be proven guiltless. In his sentimental address, he said had he been siding with Imran Khan in the struggle for Naya Pakistan, he wouldn't have let this House down.

Uzma Kardar of the PTI said the PML-N and the PPP had been in power for most of the time and instead of protesting now, they should have amended the NAB laws.

Raja Basharat, in his concluding speech, asked the opposition why it didn't revisit the NAB laws if it considered them 'draconian.' He dispelled the impression that the government is behind the arrest of opposition politicians through NAB as Aleem Khan, a member of the ruling party, himself has become a victim of the accountability bureau. He set a precedent of self-accountability while resigning from the post of minister.

Responding to the point raised by Azma Bokhari, he said it seems the opposition MPA isn't aware of the real situation regarding the accountability process in institutions like judiciary and army.

He said these bodies have their own system of accountability and told the house the members here couldn't imagine the level of punishment the army has awarded to its ranks on violation of rules. He said politicians should also initiate the process of self-accountability. If the opposition wants to amend the NAB laws, it should extend cooperation to the government in the National Assembly.

Ali Hyder Gilani of the PPP couldn't table a joint resolution on behalf of the opposition over the arrest of Durrani when quorum was pointed out. The House failed to complete the quorum and was adjourned till Friday.

Meanwhile, Chief Minister Sindh Murad Ali Shah on Thursday said that National Accountability Bureau (NAB) team, which raided Agha Siraj Durrani's residence a day ago, misbehaved with his family.

Shah said so while addressing a press conference in Karachi. He was flanked by Saeed Ghani and Murtaza Wahab, reported Geo News. He said one after another allegations were being levelled against the Sindh Assembly Speaker. "Even if there were allegations against Siraj Durrani, his house should not have been raided," the chief minister said. "There were women present inside the house, who were made to stand in the lawn."

Shah alleged that NAB officials entered the house by scaling the walls and breaking the lock. He said his cabinet members reached Siraj Durrani's residence as they came to know of the raid. "I regret that despite being the chief minister, I could not save the speaker and his family from NAB's terrorism," he said, maintaining, "No law allows NAB to take such an action."

The chief minister further said that NAB officials kept smoking sitting on the sofas inside the house, while one of them also exhaled smoke in the face of a woman of the family.

"Siraj Durrani's daughter was forced to sign on documents. NAB officials threatened that they would not leave the residence if she didn't sign," he told the newsmen. "We do not know which documents they got signed. It will be revealed in the court."