ISLAMABAD – Prime Minister Imran Khan explaining Pakistan’s foreign policy in clear words said that the country is ready to become partner with the US for peace in Afghanistan but no way to indulge in ‘other’s war’.
The premier made the remarks during his speech in the National Assembly without any interruption from opposition benches, following a heated exchange between Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi and PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari.
Lashing out at the previous decision of joining the Afghan war, he said that such moves brought no appreciation from US, instead labels of “hypocrite”.
Do you have any instance that a country lost 70,000 lives in another’s war? the premier questioned, adding that Pakistan did what the US demanded.
He said that former president Pervez Musharraf had confessed in his book of handing people to the US in return of money.
The premier recalled that he was called “Taliban Khan” when he opposed the decision of sending army to tribal areas on the order of the US.
Terming it a darkest period of Pakistan’s history, he said that the episode has a given a lesson that sovereignty of Pakistan will not be compromised for any other country.
He also criticising the drone attacks conducted by the US in tribal areas.
Apparently referring to Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) founder Altaf Hussain, he said that a terrorist is staying in London since 30 years. Will the UK government will allow us to conduct a drone attack? he questioned.
PM Khan said that Pakistani expatriates were hiding when US force killed Osama bin Laden in Abbottabad, adding that such events damaged self-esteem of Pakistanis.
He reiterated that there is no military solution to the Afghan issue, adding that the US has admitted the stance after two-decades of war and now asking Pakistan to bring the Taliban to table for talks.
Saying Pakistan will not take sides, the premier said: “We will support those who are chosen by Afghan people”.
— Radio Pakistan (@RadioPakistan) June 30, 2021
The premier invited the Opposition for talks on electoral reforms. Calling for using electronic voting machines (EVMs), he said that the government is ready to hear the Opposition if it has any alternative.
“Elections reforms are not for government or Opposition but for the future of democracy in Pakistan,” he said.
Talking about the budget for the fiscal year 2021-22, he said that Finance Minister Shaukat Tarin made the budget in line with his vision. “I congratulate my economic team on it”.
Bilawal, Qureshi engage in fiernce debate
Earlier today, the session turned tense when PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari and Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi exchanged heated words before Prime Minister Imran Khan’s address.
Bilawal stated in his address that if the government hadn’t “rigged” the federal budget vote yesterday, the whole world would have known that the prime minister didn’t have 172 votes.
The National Assembly had approved the budget for the next fiscal year with a majority vote the day before, despite the opposition’s poor performance.
Imran Khan, a confident-looking Prime Minister, had only stayed for 50 minutes before leaving the assembly hall even before the final vote on the budget, realizing that his presence in the house was no longer required to ensure the presence of Treasury members, who had clearly outnumbered the opposition.
The prime minister entered the assembly chamber at a time when the chair had already ordered a headcount on the opposition’s demand that the finance bill be taken up for discussion and final vote, as proposed by Finance Minister Shaukat Tarin. With 172-138 votes in favor, the motion was passed.
Almost all PML-N members had departed the house when the budget was presented to a voice vote, leaving the PPP and Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam members remaining.
During today’s session, Bilawal expressed his displeasure with the voting process. “It is our right for them [amendments] to be heard, not for them to be rejected in one word by an unelected member.”
When a voice vote is contested, he says, parliamentary procedures dictate that a new voice vote be held. “If that is also challenged, then it is your duty to count the votes,” Bilawal said, addressing National Assembly Speaker Asad Qaiser.
He stated that throughout the last stages of the approval procedure, members of the National Assembly had no idea what they were voting for. He said that this harmed the budget’s “legitimacy,” and that the opposition was making the process extremely seriously.
“Is it not rigging if we can’t record our vote during the budget debate or during the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) debate. Is this not against the rules,” he questioned.
In response to Bilawal’s accusations of breaking parliamentary precedent, the foreign minister slammed the PPP chairman.
“What are you talking about? In Sindh, where you have the government, you did not allow the opposition leader to speak,” he said.
