Daily Times

ISLAMABAD: The Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) on Wednesday walked out of both houses of parliament in protest against what it called the enforced disappearance of three close aides of former President Asif Ali Zardari in Sindh.

Over a point of order, the Opposition Leader in the National Assembly Syed Khurshed Shah said PPP believed in the supremacy of parliament and always followed rules and regulations defined in the constitution of Pakistan. He said after a long struggle and numerous sacrifices, parliament was gaining strength. “Any deviation from the constitution is not acceptable to us,” he maintained.

The opposition leader regretted that law enforcement agencies had ‘abducted’ three close aides of Asif Zardari and no one knew about their whereabouts. He said laws made by parliament rule that that any person arrested over suspicious or anti-state activity should be presented in a court within 24 hours. However, he claimed, once again parliament and the rules of law were disrespected.

Shah said a constitution, courts and parliament existed in the country. “If government and the speaker cannot protect these institutions, then the opposition is left with no option but to launch protests,” he said, and added that the issue of the missing persons was not only a matter related to the government or the opposition, but it was something directly linked to the supremacy of the constitution and the law.

Shah demanded that the government apprise parliament over the ‘abduction’ of Zardari’s three aides. “Silence of government and the speaker shows their weakness over the missing persons issue and the opposition has the right to stage a walk-out over it,” he said, and added that protest will continue until government provides assurance about the recovery of the missing persons.

Sheikh Salahuddin, Abdul Qahar Wadan and others also raised their voice against the missing persons and joined the PPP in the walkout. After the apposition walked out of the House, Minister of State for Interior Balighur Rehman said recovery of the missing persons was the responsibility of the government. However, Sindh government was responsible for the law and order situation in the province, he said, and claimed that there was a remarkable reduction in missing persons cases during the PML-N government as compared to the previous government.

Speaking on the occasion, Dr Imran Khattak claimed that CNICs of 345,000 Pakhtuns had been blocked across country and their bank accounts suspended. He also announced to stage walkout along with the PPP.

Earlier, Khurshid Shah said that his party supported the ANP and JI protest over blockade of CNICs of Pakhtuns.

Several other opposition lawmakers accused the ministry of interior of inaction over the issue of blocked CNICs.

Baligh, however, assured the House that the government was sincere in addressing the issue of blocked CNICs.

Deputy Speaker Javed Abbassi told the House that CNICs were being blocked since year 2002. The present government would address the issue on priority and that recommendations in this regard had already been sent to the ministry concerned.

The NA passed a government bill amidst the walkout by the opposition parties against ‘enforced disappearances’ in the province of Sindh. Chairman Standing Committee on Federal Education and Professional Training presented the committee’s report on the Compulsory Teaching of the Holy Quran Bill, 2017. The House condoned the delay in the presentation of the report.

The House passed the Pakistan Council for Science and Technology Bill, 2017 as passed by the Senate with amendments.

Minister for Finance, Revenue, Economic Affairs, Statistics and Privatization presented the Second Quarterly Report of the Board of Directors of the State Bank of Pakistan on the state of Pakistan’s economy for year 2016-2017.

Chairmen of the standing committees on Kashmir Affairs and Gilgit-Baltistan; Rules of Procedure and Privileges; National Health Services, Regulations and Coordination; Law and Justice and Planning, Development and Reforms presented the periodical reports of their respective committees.