Daily Times

ISLAMABAD: National Assembly Speaker Asad Qaiser on Friday urged that inner reforms in all political parties are a must for the strengthening of democracy as a country cannot progress without a strong democracy.

Talking to a private news channel, NA Speaker Asad Qaiser said, “I will perform my duties in the domain of law, rules and constitution of the country and I’m trying to run the house with consensus.”

To a question about the general elections of 2018, he said that the Election Commission of Pakistan held free, fair and transparent elections across the country adding that it was a historic election of Pakistan.

The parliament should debate over the charter of economy. There will be no compromise on accountability.

The Public Account Committee chairman would be selected from the government and not from the opposition.

The National Accountability Bureau (NAB) is an independent institution and the government has no influence on it.

“I will use all of my capability for the strengthening of the Parliament House. The government places its full belief in me without discriminatory accountability, as without free and fair accountability, no county of the world could progress. Some amendments are necessary in the rules and laws of NAB and it is the responsibility of the Parliament to debate on them,” he said. He rejected the impression that the government was behind all political trials of NAB. He clarified that all NAB cases were registered before the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf government.

To a question, he said that production order of former Punjab chief minister Shehbaz Sharif would be issued according to law.

He criticised the role of opposition in Punjab Assembly and said that the opposition should adopt political maturity where they should protest according to the law and maintain the decorum of the House.

The government has no plan to register any political case against any political party and has zero tolerance policy towards corruption.

Qaiser lamented that every work would be done according to the law of the House and nobody is above the law.

“The government will manage a conducive environment of the Parliament House as legislation of the house is towards the betterment of the citizens,” he maintained.

He called for the parliamentarians to debate on the charter of economy, water crisis, open discussion on foreign policy, extremism, showing unity as nationalists on these issues.

“Politicians should be role models of the society. If any political party has any allegation, it should present their allegation in the committee. Equal members would be selected for parliamentary committee and the chairman would be from the government chapter,” he said.

The government will address the reservation of Akhtar Mengal as soon as possible. The government is taking practical steps for the welfare of citizens and ministers are performing their duties with full commitment.

Published in Daily Times, October 27^th 2018.