Khawaja Muhammad Asif asks ruling coalition to think about fresh mandate

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Muslim League Nawaz (PMLN) senior parliamentarian Khawaja Muhammad Asif said on Monday the coalition partners in the government should move for seeking fresh mandate from masses to avert a civil-war like situation in the country.

“Sometime, the coalitions should think about seeking fresh mandate and allow people to rate the PTI government for what it did in the last four years,” he said while taking part in debate on the floor of the House on a motion to pay gratitude to the president over his address to the joint sitting of the Parliament.

Asif said the decision was to be made by the coalition partners, but in his personal view the country should move towards fresh elections so that the danger of a civil war could be averted. “Due to violent attitude of the PTI, the virus of violence has also spread to the overseas Pakistanis,” he said.

He said PPP parliamentarian Dr. Nafeesa Shah was right in saying that the country was touching last limits of bankruptcy. “On the other hand, the cronies of Imran Khan made not billion but trillions of rupees,” he said. To support his viewpoint, the PMLN leader alleged that PTI Chairman Imran Khan was instigating his workers to resort to violence and taking the country towards a civil war by starting violence across the country. In this connection, Asif referred to an attack on residence of senior journalist and anchorperson Hamid Mir, saying that Imran Khan, after challenging him, sent his workers to his residence. “Such incidents could happen to other people also,” he said.

He recalled that few years back, an assassination attempt was made on Hamid Mir and he had received bullets in his body. Such actions are taken to silence voices and speech of freedom. “His programme Capital Talk was also stopped for months for speaking the truth,” he said. He said the coalition government would have to take notice of such incidents of suppressing voices before the situation becomes irreversible.

He pointed out that Imran Khan was now saying that he would not accept his ouster because doors of apex court were opened to achieve the objectives. “When you are sent packing, you say why courts are opened at midnight,” he said. Khawaja Asif said it also happened in the past that courts were opened in the night to convict politicians. “A person who is fraud and was brought to power and then kept there for nearly four years, wreaked havoc on the country’s economy,” he said.

The PMLN parliamentarian said that there was nothing to pay gratitude to President Arif Alvi for addressing the joint sitting of the parliament, seeing what devastation the Government of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) brought to the country in last four years. “There is nothing to pay gratitude to the President and the House should wind up debate on the Presidential address and start a new chapter in the National Assembly,” he said. He said the party which elected President Alvi was taking the country to violence because they were no more in power now. “They are playing with Constitution and law of the country because they are not in power,” he said.

Asif said that Imran Khan, who claims that he is ‘Sadiq’ and ‘Ameen’, purchased foreign gifts from ‘Toshakhana’ and sold those out in the international market on much higher prices. Moreover, the PML-N leader said it was evident from Imran Khan’s speech two days back that he received foreign funding from Israel and other countries, and he also entered partnership with Indians using endowment fund of the Shaukat Khanum Hospital. “Now he is instigating masses because he is not in the government anymore,” he said.

Referring to a walkout staged by the members of the Balochistan National Party (BNP), the PMLN leader said that their grievances must be addressed. “This is not correct to single out an institution for the problems of Baloch people, but there is need to address causes of issues,” he said. Meanwhile, Speaker Raja Pervaiz Ashraf announced schedule for deputy speaker’s election. According to which the nominations could be submitted till 12 noon on Tuesday, while elections would be conducted on Wednesday.

Earlier, members of the Balochistan National Party (BNP) staged walkout from the House over alleged killing of its activists in district Chaghai. Agha Hassan Baloch, while speaking on a point of order, alleged that Hameed Baloch and five other BNP activists were killed and others were injured in district Chaghai. “How can we continue with the government when we are not being protected,” the BNP parliamentarian said.

After speech of PMLN leader Kh Asif, the House adopted a motion to pay gratitude to the speaker for his address to joint sitting of the Parliament.

PPP leader Nafeesa Shah said the PTI members had tendered resignations, adding that there should be an effort to bring them back to the House. She emphasised the need for reducing political tension in the country in order to take matters towards improvement. She said a plan should be formulated to effectively deal with the economic issues.

MNA Mufti Abdul Shakoor Khan said steps should be taken to improve situation in tribal districts. PTI dissident MNA Noor Alam Khan said people were facing power outages during Sehr and Iftar time. He said necessary measures should be taken to end power load-shedding. He said he, along with some other colleagues, refused to tender resignation as they wanted to continue playing role in the House. He said the PTI dissident MNAs would oppose wrong decisions of the incumbent government.

Qadir Khan Mandokhel said culprits involved in ransacking and attacking the Sindh House should be brought to justice to uphold the rule of law in the country. Salahuddin Ayubi said a new motorway from Chaman to Karachi and Punjab should be built to provide modern means of communication to people.

Mehnaz Akbar Aziz expressed concern on growing polarisation in the country. She said “our youth is being used under a well-thought-out conspiracy to spread hatred in our society”. She said the women caucus of the parliament should be revived. Rubina Irfan said the practice to dub political opponents as traitors should be shunned. She said Balochistan’s voice should be given due importance in policy making and other important matters of Pakistan. She demanded special focus to improve the education and health sectors of Balochistan.

Noorul Hasan Tanvir said Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, during his tenure as the chief minister of Punjab, had earned a reputation of “Punjab Speed” for undertaking and completing development projects in record time. He hoped that now this process would be taken forward at “Pakistan Speed,” under Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif.

Muhammad Moeen Wattoo said Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif was capable of overcoming the economic challenges, the country is facing currently. Nasiba Channa said shortage of gas and electricity had added to people’s problems and the government should pay attention to reduce public sufferings. She said two weekly off days should be restored.

Mohsin Shahnawaz Ranjha questioned how strange it was that the president, who was bound to act upon the advice of the prime minister, was not ready to perform his constitutional duties.

Others who spoke include Mehmood Bashir Virk, Sikandar Ali Rahoupoto, Shamim Ara Panhwar, and Zulfiqar Bachani. Meanwhile, Noor Alam said that PTI members who have not resigned would play role of opposition in the House.

A day earlier, Maulana Fazlur Rehman had said that the maximum tenure of the new government is one year. Demanding immediate elections, Fazl said that JUIF has its own identity and narrative within the collation government.

Addressing an event, he said the allied parties have toppled the PTI-led government, adding that now it is their responsibility to give back to the nation what they promised and struggled for. Underscoring the need for necessary electoral reforms, the JUIF leader said that unnecessary delay in elections is not the narrative of his party.