Daily Times

The National Assembly Secretariat did not make the resolution – earlier submitted by the joint opposition against systematic and planned campaign behind rumors of imposition of some kind of emergency in the country in favor of presidential form of government – a part of the agenda released on Thursday for Friday’s (today) session. The opposition parties, however, reaffirmed that they will take it up in the House and resist each unconstitutional move.

According to the released agenda list, some other resolutions moved by the cabinet members were part of the agenda but the aforementioned resolution was not included in the 22-item agenda list of the NA Secretariat.

Minister for Foreign Affairs Shah Mahmood Hussain Qureshi was scheduled to move a resolution to extend diplomatic and consular officers (oath and fees) (Amendment) Ordinance, 2021 (No. XXIV of 2021) for a further period of one hundred and twenty days with effect from February,9 2022 under sub-paragraph (ii) of paragraph (a) of clause (2) of Article 89 of the Constitution of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan.

Besides this, Federal Minister for Education, Professional Training, National Heritage and Culture Shafqat Mahmood intended to move a resolution to extend the National Rahmatul-Lil-Aalameen Authority Ordinance, 2021, No. XXV of 2021) for a further period of one hundred and twenty days with effect from February 9, 2022 under proviso to sub-paragraph (ii) of paragraph (a) of clause (2) of Article 89 of the Constitution of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan”

Talking to Daily Times, PML-N Secretary General Ahsan Iqbal said to drop the opposition’s resolution from the agenda was regrettable. “As it was a numinous decision of almost all opposition parties, we must take it up in the house with permission of chair,” he committed adding that if the chair denied to put it up it would mean he was biased and also party of that planned conspiracy.

Ahsan Iqbal mentioned that the speaker was custodian of the house and had the onus to safeguard the constitution of the country. To reply a question about the opposition’s strategy if the speaker refused to take up the said resolution, Ahsan Iqbal maintained, “First of all, we are hopeful that the speaker will surely consider our stance, and if he thoroughly denies it, then a definite strategy would be devised afterwards with joint consultation of other opposition parties.

Ahsan Iqbal said when the government, imposed through rigged elections, had ruined the country, then whispers of imposition of Indira Gandhi-like emergency and a change in the system through various formulas were being heard.

He was referring to the imposition of emergency in India by the then prime minister Indira Gandhi on June 25, 1975. It remained in force till March 21, 1977. When contacted, another PM-N leader Romina Khurshid Alam backed her party’s stance saying that they had resisted every unconstitutional and undemocratic move. “We will definitely do so this time as well,” she said.