Senate Chairman Mian Raza Rabbani on Thursday said that subordinate organisations cannot reject the directives and decisions of prime minister.
He stated this during the Senate session here. Rabbani asked Senator Farhatullah Baber, ‘Is it right that a subordinate organisation rejects the order of prime minister and later replies it absolutely wrong?
He said that according to the law, the federal government could control and command all armed forces. The chairman asked Leader of the House Raja Zafarul Haq, Leader of Opposition in Senate Ch Aitizaz Ahsan and Javed Abbasi to apprise the House over the control of armed forces today (Friday).
Fueling the fire, Senator Farhatullah Babar challenged the narrative that Dawn Leaks breached national security. He said that the withdrawal of ISPR’s controversial tweet, closure of potentially destabilizing Dawn Leak saga was a matter of satisfaction but it was important to learn appropriate lessons from it to avert clash among state institutions in the future.
Babar said that the Dawn Leaks spoke of divergence in views expressed in the meeting and if true it should be seen as enhancing national security instead of undermining it.
He also criticised tweeting institutional differences saying that the ISPR tweet was most inappropriate, unfortunate and uncalled for and should not have taken place in the first instance. He also recalled an earlier ISPR tweet that hugely embarrassed Iranian president just when he set his foot on the soil of Pakistan on his first state visit and hoped that it would also be withdrawn. The withdrawal of the March tweet will enhance and not undermine the prestige of ISPR, he said.
He said that as a result of Dawn Leaks three trusted and competent professionals were sacked and it was not wrong if those sacked were not censured publicly. Not long ago, did the army itself not follow this principle by keeping a lid on those senior officers reportedly sacked for corruption, he asked? It was right and proper not to cause public humiliation. Why this insistence on public humiliation of the civilians?
Minister of State for Information and Broadcasting Marriyum Aurangzeb said that according to the rules no political party could hold press conference at Press Information Department. She was responding to a motion regarding physical blocking of leaders of a political party from holding of press conference at PID.
The Senate on Thursday began discussion on several important issues on the motion moved by Leader of the Opposition Aitzaz Ahsan and others.
Muhammad Azam Khan Swati said politicians, lawmakers, Ulema, lawyers and every segment of society would have to play their due role to change the extremist mindset and to present soft image of the Pakistan and Islam.
Sherry Rehman said growing intolerance was becoming a serious issue of our society. She said serious efforts should be made to check mob violence.
Minister for Ports and Shipping Mir Hasil Khan Bizenjo said it would become difficult to live in a society if growing religious intolerance was not stopped. He requested all the political parties and Ulema to join hands in checking this menace from the society.
Leader of the Opposition Aitzaz Ahsan said the strict action should be taken against those responsible for lynching of Mishal Khan. He said all the people, after identifying in the lynching video available, should not be given any clemency and everyone should be tried according to the law. He said Mishal Khan lynching case should be tried in a military court for misuse of religion. He also urged Senate chairman to form a committee to have detailed discussions with leading Ulema, lawyers, media persons and other important figures on the issue of extremist mindset so that a unanimous view to address the issue could be sought.
Winding up discussion, Minister for Parliamentary Affairs Shaikh Aftab Ahmad said that lynching of a student at University was a terrible incident which had shaken the entire world.