Allies criticize Prime Minister Imran for remarks on Reko Diq during NA session – Pakistan

ISLAMABAD: National Assembly witnessed rumors on Tuesday and had to be adjourned abruptly after a minister apparently spoiled for a back-to-back fight to criticize family members Sharif to stay abroad and accuse the PPP-led Sindh government of engaging in massive corruption.

Opposition members rose to protest when Communications Minister Murad Saeed received the President's word to answer questions that had not even been asked by a lawmaker.

Ignoring the clamor of the opposition benches, Mr. Saeed said that, according to media reports on internal reports on a PML-N meeting, the questions asked by the nation had also been the subject of discussions at an internal party meeting.

He said that opposition leader Shahbaz Sharif had become the guarantor of his convicted older brother Nawaz Sharif and that no one seemed ready to return.

Bills proposing ban on dual national public service and open ballot for Senate elections arrive in North America

The minister said that a number of Sharif family members had fled the country. The PML-N had given the keys to the national kitty to a man (Ishaq Dar) who is a now-declared offender, he said and asked Shahbaz Sharif to announce when he would come to Pakistan.

The head of the PTI criticized the Sindh government for the alarming dog bite cases in the province and the allocation of hundreds of millions of rupees on behalf of containing the problem. He said that the collapse of poor quality buildings in Karachi was a constant problem and that this was due to a high level of corruption. They put the lives of the people of Karachi at stake, he said.

Mr Saeed requested that a commission be established to investigate the murder of Aziz Memon, a journalist associated with a Sindhi television channel. Without naming anyone, he said Memon was receiving threats from a family.

Members of the opposition, during the ministers 'speech, continued to point out that it was Members' Day and that he was not allowed to speak about something that didn’t Was neither on the agenda nor raised in the House.

Vice President Qasim Suri, however, not only authorized the minister to speak, but also told opposition protesters that he would suspend the proceedings if he did not there was no order in the house. About 80% of the agenda could not be adopted, the president abruptly adjourned the meeting to meet again on Wednesday (today) at 11 a.m.

Earlier, the ruling ITP allies severely criticized Prime Minister Imran Khan for his statement that Reko Diq's assets would be sold to repay the country's loans. The issue was raised by Aslam Bhotani, an independent deputy from Balochistan, on a warning. Bhotani, who also supports the PTI government, expressed concern over the remarks and deplored that despite being a resource-rich province, Balochistan continues to face problems and deprivation.

He said gas was discovered in Sui in 1952, but not even 10% of the people of Balochistan got it today. He said the province got only 2% of the Saindak project, while 48% and 50% went to the federal government and China, respectively.

Mr Bhotani claimed that Baluchistan had produced 2,000 MW of electricity against its 1,200 MW needs, but that it had only obtained 600 to 700 MW and that it continued to experience 12-14 hour load shedding in many areas. He said that Reko Diq was from Balochistan and that his youth would not tolerate injustice. Balochistan is neither an abandoned province nor for sale, he noted.

Some other Balochistan legislators have also expressed concern over remarks by the Prime Minister and Parliamentary Secretary Khiyal Zaman in response agreed that under the 18th Amendment, the provinces had the right to their resources.

Sardar Akhtar Mengal of the Balochistan National Party, an ally of the ruling party, observed, however, that the response to the Prime Minister's remarks did not come. Is it not against the 18th amendment? He asked.

He said that the Balochistans' resources had been looted openly and asked if it was considered a conquered area. He said that 300 billion rupees of Balochistan gold and silver had been sold and that the province had only 2% of it. He said that article 158 of the Constitution continued to be violated.

Minister of Parliamentary Affairs Ali Mohammad Khan said that the Prime Minister wanted to rectify the mistakes of the past and was firmly convinced of provincial autonomy and the rights of the weakest provinces.

Some important bills have also been introduced in the Assembly. Junaid Akbar introduced a law compelling members of national and provincial assemblies to follow party discipline in senatorial elections and to propose freehand votes. The bill was supported by the government.

Jam Abdul Karim presented a bill proposing to ban officials holding dual nationality.

Akhtar Mengal proposed a bill under which only residents of Gwadar will be issued CNICs from the port city and they will be registered as voters from there.

Shazia Marri of the PPP presented a bill proposing to modify the Pakistan Penal Code to define rape.

A bill to prevent drug use in educational institutions was introduced by Shahida Rehmani. The bill proposes blood tests of students and the rehabilitation of those who turn out to be drug addicts.

Posted in Dawn, March 11, 2020