Treasury comes to defend Nisar in NA

ISLAMABAD: Members of the National Assembly (NA) from treasury benches on Monday rejected the allegations leveled by an opposition member in the Senate against Interior Minister Chaudhry Nisar.

Dr Tariq Fazal Chaudhry, the Minister of State for Capital Administration Development (CAD), and Malik Abrar Ahmad said integrity of the interior minister was above board and one must think many times before giving any remarks against him.

The adverse remarks from Ghulam Sarwar Khan of the Pakistan Tehrik-e-Insaf (PTI) came while he was taking part in a debate on the presidential address to a joint sitting of parliament. Tariq Chaudhry maintained that the interior minister was effectively taking forward the National Action Plan with support and coordination of the political and military leadership.

“None of the governments in the past gave such a revolutionary plan which has started showing its results,” he said.

He called upon the opposition members to refrain from criticism for the sake of criticism against the China Pak Economic Corridor (CPEC).

“The prime minister has already taken the political leadership into confidence over this project and the opposition should not spread provincial bias for the sake of their interests,” he said.

Malik Abrar said with the implementation of NAP, the country would turn into a beautiful place. “Some individuals should not give any wrong messages by raising baseless issues,” he said.

Later, PTI member Ghulam Sarwar Khan tried to avoid a question from newsmen outside parliament when he was asked as to why he could not take action against criminals when he acted as a member of the federal cabinet during the  Musharraf tenure.

The proceedings of the house witnessed two walkouts from the Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) and Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM). The MQM members staged a walk-out against the delay in the creation of local bodies government in Karachi following the polls held in first week of last month.

“Our representatives elected in local bodies elections were also facing harassment,” he said. The PPP parliamentarians walked out of the house accusing the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) of framing fake charges against Mir Munawwar Talpur, a brother-in-law of Asif Ali Zardari. On a point of order, Nawab Yousuf Talpur of PPP said the Nawaz government was committing the same mistakes as of the 1990s. “You are signing your own death warrants by indulging in victimisation of your political opponents,” he said. He said the NAB and police were harassing Munawwar Talpur who is also member of the National Assembly. “It is responsibility of the Speaker as custodian of the house to protect rights of members,” he said

He said Nawaz rarely turns up in the National Assembly but it was not the practice during last tenure of PPP when Leader of House used to attend proceedings on regular basis. Later, the proceedings of the house were adjourned due to lack of quorum. Noman Islam Shaikh of PPP pointed out lack of quorum in the house.