PML-N protests in NA over lodging FIR against Rana Tanveer

ISLAMABAD: The PML-N Wednesday protested in the National Assembly (NA) with complaining to National Assembly Speaker that the name of Chairman Public Accounts Committee Rana Tanveer Hussain was wrongly nominated in the FIR in Lahore on the incident outside the NAB office Lahore as he was present in the National Assembly on Tuesday and was in Islamabad.

Raising the issue on the floor of the NA on Wednesday, parliamentary leader of the PML-N Khawaja Asif said Rana Tanveer Hussain has been nominated in the FIR despite the fact that he was in Islamabad and even was in Chamber of the NA Speaker Asad Qaisar for meeting him at that time. “Rana Tanveer Hussain was nominated in the FIR which proves that the Punjab government has registered false case against the workers of the PML-N,” he said.

Khawaja Asif said he asked Rana Tanveer Hussain to bring the privilege motion in this regard. NA Speaker said Rana Tanveer Hussain should bring the privilege motion and once it comes he will refer it to the privilege committee of the House.

Speaking on the issue, Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi said if Rana Tanveer Hussain was not in Lahore at that time then his name should not be nominated in the FIR. “This issue could be probe and will be with the member on this issue,” he said. Qureshi said the detailed discussion could be made on the Tuesday incident in Lahore as one view point is different and other viewed it as a planned drama as they viewed that how the stones were brought into vehicle. “On one view point was that they have to appear to present their point of view before the NAB but the drama was staged to divert the attention,” he said. He said the terror financing and money laundering are the menace that Pakistan has to confront and eradicate.

He said long deliberations were held with the opposition parties to reach consensus on the FATF related legislation. He said the opposition wanted to link the legislation of the NAB with FATF related legislation but we asked them to delink it.

On this remarks, the opposition strong protested and accused him of making false statement on linking the legislation on FATF with amendments in NAB. Agha Rafiullah of the PPP said foreign minister was telling a lie on linking the legislations on the FATF with amendments in NAB laws.

Shah Mehmood Qureshi calls “Immature young man’ to Agha Rafiullah on which the PPP legislators protested. Former prime minister Raja Pervez Ashraf asked speaker to expunge the remarks of Shah Mehmood Qureshi to PPP legislator. Qureshi withdrew his words.

In the meanwhile, Minister for Communications Murad Saeed said western route of the CPEC will be made reality. He said several mega road infrastructure projects have been envisaged for this year.

He said construction work on Hyderabad-Sukkur Motorway and Karachi-Chaman-Quetta highway will be started this year. The minister said the revenue of NHA has been enhanced from Rs25 billion to Rs50 billion.