PNN: The opposition and the treasury on Monday offered an olive branch to each other in the Senate with the former seeking relief for incarcerated former prime minister Imran Khan and the latter stressing the need to end impasse and promote dialogue to strength democracy.
Speaking in the House on the first day of the Ramazan session, Opposition Leader Raja Nasir Abbas talked about the opposition alliance’s recent sit-in at the Parliament House over health issue of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) founder Imran Khan.
He regretted that Parliament was shut down only to block entry and exit of parliamentarians who had been holding a “peaceful” protest. “Is this not an insult to Parliament,” he said, adding that no one even questioned the government and its ministers. He said their only demand was that PTI chief should be provided with treatment in the presence of his personal physicians and to the satisfaction of his family. “The founding PTI chairman neither wanted to come out from the jail nor his family has such a demand,” he said, adding that he only sought a fair trial for him. Urging the need to restore confidence of each other, the leader of the opposition called on the government not to transform this issue into a full crisis and move forward.
Senator Abbas assured that the opposition would never become part of any conspiracy to topple the government despite that legitimacy of the latter was under question. But the government should resolve the matter of eye ailment of Khan, he added.
He also reiterated his demand that a parliamentary committee should be formed to meet the jailed ex-premier and examine his health conditions.
Adviser to the Prime Minister on Political Affairs Rana Sanaullah Khan in his response said that the government was ready for a dialogue to strengthen democracy, rather than confrontation and deadlock.
“We are ready to sit with you for the betterment of the country,” he said, adding that the coalition government even stressed for a dialogue when PTI was in power.
He, however, said PTI chief Khan was not ready to talk to politicians and his “stubbornness” was a major hurdle. He accused the former prime minister of hurling threats at politicians in the past and said: “Look at his behaviour”.
He said that the government wanted the PTI to become part of Parliament by rejoining its standing committees. “Please support us to strength Charter of Democracy,” he said. He chided the PTI by saying that it was reluctant to become part of the political process.
Rana Sanaullah recalled that opposition leader was part of that committee which refused to talk to the government on the direction of top leadership.
“You don’t want to talk to those who desire so,” he said, adding that the government was ready to move forward in a democratic way.
The adviser underlined that the opposition wanted a dialogue with those who did not want to talk to it and indirectly referred to the public statements of former prime minister Khan that he only wanted to talk to the military establishment.
He said that the matter about health of PTI chief was before the apex court and the government fully implemented its directions regarding his treatment. He said that even one eye specialist was included in the medical board on the request of the PTI.
Regarding cases against the PTI founder, Rana Sanaullah said the courts were the appropriate forum and could grant him relief in accordance with the law.
About the allegation of shutting down of Parliament, he said that the opposition had given a call to his workers to reach the protest venue, which prompted the police to make security arrangements.
Separately, the controversy over formation of Karachi as a separate province landed in the House with Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) lawmakers asserting that the metropolitan city was an inseparable part of Sindh. The Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan (MQM-P) criticised the position taken by the PPP.
The Parliamentary Leader of PPP in the House Senator Sherry Rehman denounced recent statements by certain federal ministers about the division of Sindh and Karachi.
The House discussed the issue days after Sindh Assembly passed a resolution rejecting calls to separate Karachi from the province.
Senator Rehman said the PPP was the custodian of Sindh’s unity, and no one would be allowed to undermine it. She warned that the province historically faced backdoor conspiracies. “Anyone dreaming of dividing Sindh should abandon this dangerous fantasy. We know how to resist, we know how to oppose, and we will not tolerate any assault on Pakistan’s federal unity,” she added.
MQM Senator Khalida Ateeb opposed the resolution passed by the Sindh Assembly terming it against the Constitution. She said the proposal to divide Sindh into rural and urban areas was initiated by the PPP led Sindh government. She also questioned who introduced the quota system.
She said there were calls for formation of more administrative units in all the provinces across the country.