Daily Times

Minister for Narcotics Control Shehryar Khan Afridi on Tuesday told the National Assembly that no one was above the law and the operations of the Anti-Narcotics Force (ANF) were conducted without any discrimination.

He said the government of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) firmly believed in upholding of justice and equality. He said that on the basis of credible intelligence received, the movement of MNA Rana Sanaullah was monitored for three weeks and he was apprehended with cache of drugs. He said that as Rana Sanaullah was caught red-handed, there was no need for seeking additional remand for him. The state minister said no compromise would be made with those involved in drug trafficking.

He also claimed that the PTI-led government firmly believed in the rule of law and equality. The state minister said that the government would not compromise on drug-trafficking, and added that ANF was playing key role in eradicating the menace of drugs in the country.

The minister also said that 2,900 personnel of ANF were playing a key role in eradicating the menace of drug from society. He said the force was understaffed and lacks necessary resources and modern technology. Despite this, he said, drugs worth billions of dollars were confiscated each year by the ANF and the conviction rate of the agency was 98 percent.

Speaking on the occasion, Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) leader Raja Pervaiz Ashraf said the media was fourth pillar of democracy and it should function freely in the country. Referring to Reko Diq and similar cases of international arbitration, he said the proposed commission set up by the prime minister should probe the roles of all those involved in such affairs. He said the function, scope and mandate of the commission should also be discussed in the parliament.

Khawaja Asif calls for ‘even-handed’ accountability

He also claimed that the common man was facing the brunt of rising inflation. He accused the treasury benches of creating an atmosphere of tension in the parliament rather than holding discussions on issues of public importance. He said production order was a right of every member of the National Assembly irrespective of his political affiliation.

Earlier, Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) leader Khawaja Asif said that the judge who sentenced Nawaz Sharif was removed but the PML-N leader was still in prison. He was referring to the removal of accountability court judge Arshad Malik over the video leak scandal.

“The video of a judge came forward and questions were raised over his judgement. There was a hearing in the Supreme Court today. I don’t want to comment too much on this issue as it is being heard by the court. I respect and have faith in the courts and the judicial process. The judge was removed but Nawaz Sharif remains in prison,” Asif said. The PML-N leader asserted that there was no allegation of corruption against Nawaz Sharif.

The former defence minister said that PML-N President Shehbaz Sharif was being targeted for pointing at the current economic crisis in the country. “Three budgets have been unfolded by the government this year, and the opposition is being targeted,” he said.

“Inflation has been rising in the country, whereas no one spoke about it,” he added, while regretting that the person who had presented the budget was awarded immediately. “Undertakers have gained control of the state, and everyone has to suffer.”

He termed the trial of PML-N MNA Rana Sanaullah as “ridiculous” and said, “Political revenge is a bad omen.”

“There is no charge against Nawaz Sharif, but still he is in jail… We don’t call for an NRO, we will fight till the end,” he said, adding that the constitution and the general public would suffer in the war.

“We suffered jail time in the era of [former dictator] Pervez Musharraf,” he went on to say, while adding that Nawaz Sharif would return to power by people’s votes and those who had been attempting to erase his name would be destroyed. The PML-N’s MNA expressed regret that lessons were not learnt from history. He accused the government of pursuing a “vendetta” against opposition leaders and called for “even-handed” accountability.

Addressing the National Assembly, Minister for Parliamentary Affairs Ali Muhammad Khan said that the opposition leader’s speech made him question if they were ever in the government. The minister lashed out at Asif and expressed shock over his forgetfulness and his time served as the federal minister himself during the previous tenure of the PML-N. He said those who take a pledge of allegiance to serve the state through parliament must be held answerable and accountable for their actions, and if proved guilty, punishments and consequences must be meted out.

He admonished the expenditures made on personal undertakings by former president Asif Ali Zardari and premier Nawaz Sharif. He said that the national exchequer was robbed to facilitate the lavish spending by previous rulers.

The minister said production orders of any member of assembly could be issued for allowing them to raise the issues of their constituency, not forwarding their personal issues on the floor of the House.

The opposition requested National Assembly Speaker Asad Qaiser to issue production orders of five parliamentarians detained by different agencies of the government.

In a formal request to the NA speaker, MNAs from both the PML-N and the PPP urged Asad Qaiser to issue production orders of Asif Ali Zardari, Saad Rafique, Rana Sanaullah, Ali Wazir and Mohsin Dawar.