Daily Times

Ruckus dominated the proceedings of Lower House of parliament on Thursday over speaker’s refusal to allow Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) leader Ahsan Iqbal’s speech as outraged members from the opposition benches gathered in front of the speaker’s dais and hurled accusations at each other.

Speaking during the assembly session, Federal Minister for Communication Murad Saaed mocked the black armbands worn by the members of the opposition. He lashed out at the political rivals of the ruling PTI and pointed out their corrupt practices in the former governments. “[Cases of] Falooda and Pakora walas are being surfaced,” he said while referring to the infamous fake bank accounts case.

While the opposition members kept on condemning the arrest of Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) leader Khurshid Shah by the National Accountability Bureau (NAB), Saeed stated the chairman of the bureau was appointed by the previous government itself with the consultation of the PPP. “The National Accountability Bureau (NAB) is an independent institution which functions as per law,” he added.

He recalled that it was PML-N and PPP who would accuse each other of corruption. “The PML-N once talked of dragging Zardari and mocked Khurshid Shah as a ‘meter reader’,” he said, adding that instead of making hue and cry on the arrest of their leaders, the opposition parties should raise the voice for the rights of Kashmiris. “We should give a message that the entire nation and the parliament stands shoulder-to-shoulder with their Kashmiri brethren,” he said.

Deputy Speaker Qasim Suri strongly responded to the matter, saying, “The House is not for you all to deliver speeches and go home.” The opposition members demanded production orders for all the arrested parliamentarians. Suri also informed the Lower House that NAB has taken the speaker into confidence about the arrest of Khurshid Shah.

Meanwhile, the opposition members from PML-N and PPP protested in front of the Parliament House against the arrest of Khurshid Shah by NAB. The parliamentarians from the opposition also called for issue of production orders of members from the National Assembly and Senate who have been arrested by the anti-graft watchdog. The protesters also donned black armbands to highlight their cause.

“It is collective responsibility of all the political parties to work for the protection of sanctity of the parliament and parliamentary democracy. Khurshid Shah should be allowed to explain his position in the House,” they said, adding that they are not afraid of jails.

PML-N leader Khawaja Asif, while speaking outside the parliament, criticised the arrest of Shah, elaborating that the PPP leader was arrested during the assembly session. “It seems like the loyalty to party is affecting the oath to office of the National Assembly speaker,” he maintained, and warned that political tensions can escalate sharply. The House has now been prorogued.