- Opp leader urges govt to bring conflicting parties in Middle East closer
- Shah says Israel, US creating anarchy among Muslims to serve their interests
National Assembly Speaker Ayaz Sadiq on Friday informed the National Assembly that no permission was required by the police for the arrest of any member (MNA) outside the Parliament House.
Responding to the quarries raised by Opposition Leader Syed Khursheed Ahmed Shah in the House regarding the arrest of MNA Jamshid Dasti, he said that he was arrested and the police just had to inform about the arrest and not seek any permission.
However, he said if the police intend to arrest any MNA from the National Assembly’s premises, then it was mandatory to get proper permission of the speaker. He informed the House that Dasti was arrested for blocking a minor canal in his local area.
The speaker said that if any request for production order comes from MNA Dasti, he would issue the same. Earlier, Khursheed Shah said that if the MNA was arrested on the orders of the speaker then it is ok, otherwise arresting a member at a time when budget session was in progress should be clarified.
Speaker Ayaz also informed the House that the First Information Report (FIR) had been lodged against the person who scuffled with MNA Sheikh Rasheed Ahmed the other day. National Assembly’s Presiding Officer Mehmood Bashir Virk had already ordered thorough investigation into the matter and the person was arrested immediately after the scuffle.
He said the accused had been put behind the bars after the FIR and no bail was granted to him till 2300 hours on Thursday. It is pertinent to mention here that reportedly, a man on Thursday intercepted Sheikh Rasheed at the Parliament House entrance and demanded payment of loan, which he claimed the opposition lawmaker had taken from him some years ago.
Earlier, the opposition leader raised the question that how this person entered into the premises of the parliament and who issued the pass for him. He said that since it was an attack on the parliament so “we stand united with our colleague and no matter what party he belongs to.”
Responding to point raised by the opposition leader, State Minister for Interior and Narcotics Control Balighur Rehman informed the National Assembly that the government would never protect any criminal as no one was above the law.
He said the person who scuffled with Sheikh Rasheed was not only be taken into custody immediately but FIR has also been registered. Brushing aside any preferential treatment, he said that the person was kept in lock up of a police station and today was produced before the court as per the law. No preferential treatment was given to the persons, he added.
Interior Minister Chaudhary Nisar Ali Khan himself visited the Awami Muslim League chief and took immediate notice of the incident. Baligh said that the opposition leader always talked about rights of the lawmakers. He said that many people took selfies and photographs with them in various functions.
The minister said that the PML-N government has full confidence in the judiciary and the prime minister presented himself and his family first for accountability despite the fact that Panama papers have around 250 others Pakistanis. He said the prime minister’s children were regularly appearing before the Joint Investigation Team.
On point of self-explanation, Deputy Speaker Murtaza Javed Abbasi categorically denied the allegation that entry pass to the person was issued by his office after the incident. “This I say on oath, if the allegation of issuing pass after the scuffled is proved, I will resign,” he asserted.
He said that he has great regard for the leader of the opposition and all members of this august House were equal to him. Khursheed Shah again raised the scuffle-issue of a person with Sheikh Rasheed and question that how that person had entered into the premises of the parliament.
He said that great sacrifices were made to restore the dignity of this parliament, so we must not choose a path that would again lead to compromising its dignity. About the Qatar issue, he urged the government to work for the unity of Muslims by making reconciliation efforts between the conflicting parties.
He said that Pakistan was enjoying deep and cordial relations with Saudi Arabia while Qatar and Iran were also Muslim countries. Instead of supporting any conflicting party, “we must support Muslim world by bringing the conflicting parties together, he said. He said that Israel, as well as the US, were making efforts to create anarchy among Muslim countries to serve their own interests.
