ISLAMABAD:
Senators belonging to the opposition Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) protested in the Senate on Tuesday as their fellow lawmaker Ejaz Chaudhry was not brought to the house despite the issuance of a production order by Chairman Yousuf Raza Gilani.
During the session, with Gilani in the chair, the treasury lawmakers lashed out at opposition leader Shibli Faraz for his ‘inappropriate’ remarks against the government. They warned the opposition that its tirade would not be tolerated.
The PTI members surrounded the Chairman’s desk with pictures of Ejaz Chaudhry and Imran Khan after the production order of Ejaz Chaudhry was not implemented. They raised slogans, demanding release of Ejaz Chaudhry and the withdrawal of ‘false cases’ against him.
Opposition Leader Shibli Faraz said that the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) had promised to turn the country into an economic tiger but had made it a jackal instead. Later, the PTI lawmakers staged a walkout from the proceedings.
The treasury members stood up in protest and slammed Faraz’s remarks. “What is this,” asked PML-N parliamentary party leader Irfan Siddiqui. “It’s not going to happen that we keep listening to whatever they say.” He demanded of the chair to expunge the remarks.
Planning Minister Ahsan Iqbal hit back at the PTI, saying that during its government, it had looted Pakistan’s resources and used the name of Islam to hide its theft. “This Islamic touch will no longer work here,” he said.
Law Minister Azam Nazir Tarar said that religion should not be used as a shield. He told the house that the cases against the PTI members were in the courts and, therefore, the opposition should talk about them in the house.
Tarar said that the talks between the government and the PTI were ongoing and, to facilitate the negotiations, the government had also arranged a meeting between the PTI founder and his party’s negotiating team on Sunday.
Speaking about the non-production of Ijaz Chaudhry in the house, the law minister suggested that the matter should be taken up in the House Advisory Committee and the negotiation committee.
Meanwhile, responding to a calling attention notice from the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) lawmaker Sherry Rehman, Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar told the house that Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) flights for Europe had been restored due to measures taken by the government.
Dar also said the privatisation process of the national airline would definitely move forward.
The session was later adjourned until Wednesday (today).
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