Daily Times

ISLAMABAD: The ruling Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) has stopped the Senate Chairman Mian Raza Rabbani and Adviser to the PM on Foreign Affairs Sartaj Aziz from debating the matter of Senate Deputy Chairman Maulana Abdul Ghafoor Haideri’s US visa.

Credible sources in the Upper House of Parliament said that the matter of Maulana Haideri was likely to be discussed in the current session of the House. However, this matter was adjourned after his meeting with Raja Zafarul Haq, the leader of the House in the Senate. “The government of Pakistan had protested with the US government on the announcement of not allowing a Senate delegation to visit America, and Sartaj Aziz had contacted the US Ambassador in Pakistan, but he refused to comment on it,” a source said, adding that the US government had expressed its concern over the statement of the Senate Chairman. Sources further said that the Senate Chairman had expressed his annoyance over the US not issuing a visa to Senate Deputy Chairman Maulana Abdul Ghafoor Haideri a day before the commencement of the session of the House. However, this issue was not debated on in the House owing to the prevailing situation in the country. The opposition also kept silent on this issue.

It is worth mentioning here that the opposition parties had tabled a calling attention notice in the National Assembly against the US government for banning visas. However, NA Speaker Sardar Ayaz Sadiq not only rejected it but also barred opposition parties from commenting on it in the House. On this, Shireen Mizari, deputy parliamentary leader of the PTI in the National Assembly, had protested in parliament, but the motion moved by her in the House was rejected.