NA members vow to defend constitution

Parliamentarians on Monday vowed to defend the supremacy of the constitution at any cost.
The 14th session of the National Assembly opened under the speakership of Dr Fehmida Mirza, 15 more members took oath.
Addressing the session, Mahmood Khan Achakzai, Pakhtunkhwa Milli Awami Party (PKMAP) chairman, urged the lawmakers to make a commitment not to support violation of the constitution. He said the members should vow that violators of the constitution would not be included in the political parties.
PML-N legislator Khawaja Asif said no one could disagree with the words of Achakzai. He said that present parliament was the beginning of a new era, for which people left their houses and voted, however, the expectations of the people from the newly elected government would also be multiplied.
Asif stressed the members not to support any move to breach the constitution, adding that rather focusing on the past the House should move ahead.
Pakistan People’s Party Parliamentarians leader Makhdoom Amin Fahim said that his party never supported any anti-state, anti-constitutional and anti-democratic move in the past and would not support any such move in the future as well.
Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf lawmaker Makhdoom Javed Hashmi was of the view that unpopular decisions not only lead back the country but also cause unrest in the country, adding that whenever it comes to the supremacy of constitution, his party would stand for the constitution.
PML-N lawmaker Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan said that people would not follow the law unless the MNAs would care about it, urging that now the government would have to perform, as delivering speeches would not prove sufficient.
He mentioned that Nawaz Sharif had already said that all important issues would be debated in the House.
PTI leader Shah Mahmood Qureshi said that not only Article 6 of the constitution, but other articles would have to be fulfilled as well.
Later on after the polls, felicitating the winner once again Achakzai highlighted the incidents of lawyers’ movement as well as incidents of May 12 in which several people lost their lives. He urged parliament to probe the incidents of May 12.
Achakzai said, “We have to protect our country from destruction and to re-track it to the path of prosperity.” He also offered his unconditional cooperation for the sack of the country.
PPP lawmaker Yousuf Talpur felicitated the speaker and deputy speaker and hoped that both would lead the House in a balanced manner.
“PPPP unconditional support would be there for the betterment of the public.” Talpur said.
MQM lawmaker Kishwar Zahra was of the view that Ayaz Sadiq would follow the legacy of Dr Fehmida Mirza.
She seconded the words of Achakzai to probe the May 12 incidents, and mentioned that the MQM workers had also lost their lives.
PTI lawmaker Amjad Khan felicitated the speaker and deputy speaker and declared their victory as the victory of democracy.
Jamaat-e-Islami legislator Tariqullah Khan endorsed the commitment by Achakzai for the country’s sake.
MQM lawmaker SA Qadri said that 23 of the MQM activists have been killed in past month whereas 10 workers were still missing. He said that only enforcement of law could bring peace to the country.
PML-N’s Rana Tanvir Ahmed Khan was of the view that 180 million people of Pakistan had given their decision for the prosperity of the country and transformation of power through democratic procedure.
He urged the speaker to maintain the honour of the House. Rana also paid tribute to the former NA speaker Dr Fehmida Mirza.
The session of the National Assembly would now resume on Wednesday during which polling for new prime minister would be held.