Ijaz Kakakhel Islamabad
The Pakistan People’s Party on Monday staged a walkout from both the Senate and National Assembly sessions, demanding that the Pakistan Muslim League-N leadership apologize for making statements against its top leaders.
When the National Assembly session beging, the PPP MNA Raja Pervaiz Ashraf said that it was hard for his party to continue to participate in proceedings until it was given assurances by Punjab or any other authority. He said the PPP always supported the government for the sake of country.
He said that the irresponsible speeches by Punjab government was unbearable and would not allow other to do so. “We are unable to sitting in the parliament until some one from Punjab government or federal government satisfy us. Ashraf subsequently led a walkout of PPP lawmakers from the Lower House.
Senior Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf leader Asad Qaiser urged the PPP to stop “friendly fire” and bring a no-confidence motion in the National Assembly, as tensions grow between the PPP and the ruling Pakistan Muslim League-N. Addressing the lower house of the parliament after PPP lawmakers staged a walkout, Asad Qaiser PPP walks out of Senate, NA; demands assured the Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari-led party of PTI’s support for a no-confidence motion against the Shehbaz Sharif-led government.
Meanwhile, the Senate session, chaired by Chairman Yusuf Raza Gilani, saw heated exchanges after PPP Senator Sherry Rehman criticized PML-N’s political rhetoric amidst floods across Sindh and Punjab. She said that millions had been affected by floods, yet instead of showing solidarity, political leaders were weakening the morale of the nation. “The verbal war between the Punjab and Sindh governments is affecting the federal government,” she said, adding that “playing the Punjab card and crossing red lines is unacceptable.”
Rehman said comments about Bilawal Bhutto Zardari and Aseefa Bhutto-Zardari were inappropriate. “Bilawal only said that the Benazir Income Support Programme should be used to assist flood victims,” she said. “Governments cannot function through public humiliation. Seeking an apology does not diminish anyone’s dignity.”
The senator said that the PPP had always advocated climate justice, pointing out that southern Punjab had been ravaged by floods and crops destroyed. “I am ashamed to repeat the words that were uttered,” she said, warning that if no apology was offered, “we will not be taken for granted.” Following her remarks, PPP senators tore up copies of the agenda and walked out of the session.
Law Minister Azam Nazeer Tarar expressed regret over the situation, saying, “If anyone’s sentiments were hurt, I feel sorry as a political worker.” He said that President Asif Ali Zardari was a seasoned politician who would play a reconciliatory role.
Acting Senate Chairman directed Senators Khalil Tahir Sandhu, Afnan Ullah and Anusha Rahman to persuade the opposition members to return to the house.
Meanwhile, PTI Senator Ali Zafar took aim at both coalition parties, accusing them of competing for political mileage while flood victims continued to suffer. “Perhaps the aid has reached their pockets instead of the victims,” he said, accusing both the PPP and PML-N of engaging in a “shameless contest” over who deceived the nation less.
Zafar said that flood victims’ children were still sleeping under the open sky, while both parties were “demanding trophies.” “I give them a trophy for apathy, incompetence and greed,” he quipped, adding that 5,700 villages in Punjab remained submerged, destroying crops and livestock and affecting 18 million people.
He warned that the loss of 60 per cent of the rice and 30 per cent of the cotton crop would force the country to import goods worth $3 billion. “Yet these leaders are walking out of the House,” he said. Zafar said that the decline in cotton production would hurt the textile and allied industries.
