News
Tuesday, June 14, 2011
Karachi, Kharotabad killings remain centre of debate in NA
By Tanveer Ahmed
ISLAMABAD: The killings in Karachi and Kharotabad at the hands of security forces as well as the commission on Abbottabad operation were the centre of debate in the National Assembly on Monday.
The main opposition party, Pakistan Muslim League-N, walked out from the assembly against, what it called, inaction of the government on the two incidents. The initial part of the proceedings of the budget session were dominated by severe criticism by PML-N’s members which was equally responded by the PPP’s chief whip Syed Khurseed Shah.
The House also turned noisy when PML-N members resorted to fierce sloganeering before walking out. The opposition, however, returned to the House when Khursheed Shah successfully persuaded them to join the proceedings. A visibly annoyed Speaker Dr Fehmida Mirza remarked on the opposition’s protest that there was no justification for protesting since all the legislators were given equal opportunity to speak.
PML-N’s firebrand Khawaja Saad Rafiq accused the government of destroying the supremacy of the parliament by not implementing its unanimous resolutions. He question why the government was defending Sindh Rangers DG and Sindh Police IG when the Supreme Court has ordered action against them. He also accused the prime minister of letting down parliament by compromising its sovereignty. Rafiq was also critical about the commission on Abbottabad operation.
PML-N’s Sardar Mehtab Abbasi also accused the government for pushing the issues of national importance under the carpet. While speaking after the PML-N walkout Khursheed Shah said that it is the opposition’s right to protest but added that the PML-N members were creating a scene in parliament which was tantamount to ruining the parliamentary norms and practices.
He said that action has been taken against the personnel of Rangers involved in the brutal killing of a youth in Karachi and the culprits have been produced in the court. He urged the opposition to respect the mandate of the government as it did in Punjab Assembly, where PML-N is in power.
After the end of the walkout, PML-N’s Ahsan Iqbal said on a point of order that the government was defying court’s order in Karachi incident. Meanwhile, Aftab Ahmad Khan Sherpao said the continued drone attacks in FATA were having a negative impact in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. Later, the house resumed the budget debate and the government faced embracement when PPP’s Nasir Ali Shah severely criticised the budget.
Courtesy www.dailytimes.com.pk