ISLAMABAD: Senior Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) leader Raza Rabbani on Wednesday criticised the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI)-led government for ‘bypassing’ parliament in matters related to other countries. Speaking in the Senate, Rabbani said that government was taking important and strategic decisions without a debate or consulting parliament. “The government kept the house in dark over negotiations with the Taliban,” he said, adding that rulers could not even take the parliament into confidence over the prime minister’s foreign trips. He lamented that parliament did not know anything about the recently held Pakistan-sponsored peace talks between the Taliban and United States. The former Senate chairman said that parliament was also ignored over the PM’s visit to Saudi Arabia and the UAE. “It was said that the PM has left an economic team in China but parliament was not informed about the development in Beijing,” said Rabbani. He maintained that Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi had visited Iran but he could not give a single statement about his visit in the House. Meanwhile, Minister of State for Interior Shehryar Afridi informed the Senate that no request had so far been received to handover Dr Shakeel Afridi to the United States and no external pressure would be accepted in this regard. Responding to another question, the minister said that the government would not make any compromise on national security and every decision or the initiative would be taken indigenously to safeguard the national interest. To a question, the minister said that the government was working on a policy to mainstream local arms manufacturers. Under the policy, he said, products of local manufactures would be marketed in and outside Pakistan. The minister also informed the House that a policy was being evolved for uniform number plates of vehicles. National Party’s Hasil Khan Bizenjo presented a privilege motion in the House, stating that the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) was preparing a reference against him over alleged property building in Punjab. He challenged the NAB to form a joint investigation team comprising members of NAB and ISI to probe the case. “The NAB chairman knows me well but he has implicated me in a false case,” he alleged. While responding to a point of order raised by Hasil Bizinjo, Senate Deputy Chairman Saleem Mandviwala said he had written a letter to the NAB Chairman, asking him to seek the Senate’s consent before summoning any parliamentarian. He said there should be a proper mechanism if an agency was required to call a parliamentarian. He said media trial of parliamentarians should be avoided. Leader of the House Shibli Faraz informed the House that PTI Senator Mohsin Aziz was also summoned by the NAB a few days ago. He said the House should let the investigative agency to do its work. PML-N Senator Mushahidullah Khan claimed that the NAB was arresting opposition parliamentarians while ignoring corruption cases against ruling members. “There were cases against PM, his sister, defence minister but they were let free and only opposition members were put behind the bars.” Responding to a calling attention notice moved by Mir Kabeer Ahmed and others regarding the shortage of gas supply in Sindh and Balochistan, Minister for Petroleum and Natural Resources Ghulam Sarwar Khan said there was no curtailment of gas to domestic consumers and industry in Sindh. He claimed that CNG sector was fully operational in Sindh. “The only sufferer was captive industry and it had been decided that the Sui Southern Gas Company would provide 50 percent indigenous gas of Sindh, while the rest would be made available from other sources.” Ghulam Sarwar Khan said that the total production of Pakistan’s petroleum production stood at fifteen percent, while 85 percent of the commodity was imported. He said that total production of all four provinces was 3,500 MMCFD, while LNG of 800 MMCFD was imported. The minister said Prime Minister Imran Khan had also taken notice of the issue and an inquiry was also underway in this regard. The chair referred the matter to the standing committee concerned for further deliberations. Published in Daily Times, December 20th2018.