PML-N and MQM stage walkouts over memo, Mirza

Amid severe criticism of the government by the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) vis-à-vis the secret memo allegedly sent by President Asif Ali Zardari to the US administration, the PML-N and the Pakistan People’s Party’s coalition partner, the Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM), staged separate walkouts from the National Assembly on Thursday to register their protests against “bad-governance” and “the government’s protocol to Zulfiqar Mirza” respectively.
Speaking on a point of order, PML-N MNA Khurram Dastagir said President Zardari’s act of sending a memo to the US military was against Pakistan’s sovereignty. “Now Mullen has confirmed the memo,” he said, demanding the government tell the whole truth about the memo issue to the nation.
Tasneem Siddiqui of the PML-N said last night former chairman US joint chiefs of staff committee Mike Mullen had acknowledged that he had received Mansoor Ijaz’s memo but he never paid any attention to it.
“This was another insult to Pakistan as US officials said he never considered a letter from Pakistan attention worthy,” she said.
Leader of the Opposition in the national Assembly Nisar Ali Khan lashed out at the government saying that it had sponsored an anti-PML-N protest demonstration of labour unions in front of the Parliament House.
He said the PML-N was opposing Industrial Relations Act legislation by the assembly as it was the provincial subject and the federal legislation on the subject could only be limited to Islamabad Capital Territory.
Nisar said it was the first time in the history of the country that a sitting minister was leveling serious charges of corruption against the government. “He [Faisal Saleh] should have the moral courage to disassociate himself from the government which he is calling a thief,” he said.
He said a senator of the ANP had also pointed out massive corruption in the National Highway Authority.
The opposition leader also objected business of the government saying that he raised issue of shortage and black marketing of urea in the House on Wednesday and the prime minister promised that the minister concerned would be available on Thursday for reply but the minister was absent.
“Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gilani said the government conveyed to US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton to adopt peaceful means to tackle the issue of terrorism but according to foreign as well as local media, President Zardari promised the US to take stern action against the Haqqani Network,” Nisar said.
He said cronies of government officials were looting PIA, Pakistan Railways, gas, the NHA and costing the public treasures Rs 1 trillion but the government was not doing anything.
Nisar said before the start of each session of the House, the government should present an agenda for the welfare of people. “We will support all people-friendly policies of the government but oppose anything which will be against their (peoples) interest,” he added.
When Interior Minister Rehman Malik walked in front of the opposition leader during his speech, Nisar asked the chair to teach parliamentary etiquettes to the minister.
Meanwhile, the MQM also walked out of the session protesting against sending former Interior Minister Sindh Zulfiqar Mirza to London with protocol. On a point of order, Haider Abbas Rizvi said his party organised massive rallies in support of President Zardari in Karachi, but the government in Sindh dispatched Mirza, who blamed the MQM of killings, to London with protocol.
Responding to the opposition’s criticism of the memo issue, PPP MNA Fauzia Wahab said President Zardari had written no secret letter and raising such an issue by the opposition and the media was damaging unity of the country.