- PM’s speech in NA postponed till Monday as Opp wants Nawaz Sharif to remain in NA and listen to their speeches
The ruling Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) government and the joint opposition parties on Thursday night agreed to postpone Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif’s address to the National Assembly until Monday, giving rise to speculation that the government is trying to wiggle out of the highly anticipated appearance of the prime minister in the NA.
The fact that the ruling party was in two minds about the PM’s attending the National Assembly session in front of a highly vocal opposition in such a charged atmosphere was clear from the fact that the prime minister said that he will not be answering any questions regarding the Panama Leaks in the National Assembly, and will only answer them before the judicial commission.
Talking to reporters on his way back from Dushanbe, Tajikistan, PM Nawaz said that the opposition should not become a commission itself. He said that he will discuss in parliament what needs to be discussed in parliament, he won’t discuss matters that are to be discussed before commission on the floor of the House. The PM also told the media that the government will consider the recommendations of getting Panama Papers probed by National Accountability Bureau (NAB).
In the wake of the prime minister’s announcement that he would not answer any of the opposition’s questions on the Panama Leaks and will only make a policy statement, the opposition is gearing towards giving the prime minister a very hard time during Monday’s session.
National Assembly Speaker Sardar Ayaz Sadiq made the announcement of the postponement of PM’s speech, saying that the federal government and opposition had mutually agreed to postpone it until Monday.
The embattled PML-N government was given a tough time by the opposition parties last week when they boycotted the National Assembly as well as the Senate sessions and demanded that prime minister attend the session and take them into confidence over the offshore companies and assets of members of his family.
PM WON’T HAVE TO ANSWER, BUT HE WILL HAVE TO LISTEN:
A source told Pakistan Today that the government contacted the opposition parties and requested them to remain calm and not indulge in sloganeering during the PM’s speech. In return the opposition parties demanded they will do so only if the prime minister sits in the House while the opposition leaders make speeches.
After reaching a consensus, the NA speaker announced that the PM will address the parliament on Monday as the shorter session scheduled for Friday would not accommodate the speeches of both the opposition and the government.
When contacted, Pakistan Muslim League-Quaid (PML-Q) MNA Chaudhry Tariq Bashir Cheema told Pakistan Today that an opposition delegation which included Dr Shireen Mazari and Ijaz Jakhrani in addition to himself had called on the NA speaker to put to him the opposition’s demand that the prime minister must stay for the duration of the opposition leaders’ speeches.
“The speaker then requested that the opposition should behave maturely during the PM’s speech and no chaos should be observed as a quid pro quo. We agreed to his proposal, asking the treasury members to treat our leaders with respect too,” he added.
Cheema said that Ayaz Sadiq later contacted the opposition parties individually and said that since there won’t be enough time on Friday for the PM and opposition leaders’ speeches, it would be wise to postpone the speech until Monday, and that the opposition agreed to the proposal.
‘OPPOSITION HAS NO RIGHT TO ASK QUESTIONS’:
Earlier in the day, Prime Minister Nawaz said there is no justification for the opposition to raise hue and cry after his letter to the chief justice to form a commission and probe the Panama Papers issue.
“Some of the politicians are behaving like a commission within themselves and are giving verdicts of their own based on allegations and negativity,” the prime minister said.
The prime minister said he was earnestly awaiting the formation of the judicial commission on Panama Leaks so that the nation could get a clear picture.
“It is my genuine desire that the commission led by chief justice of the Supreme Court should be formed at the earliest,” he said.
Sharif said his family was affiliated with business since 1937 and suffered immense financial loss of their East Pakistan-based factory following the fall of Dhaka. He said another of their factories was nationalised by the then prime minister, Zulfikar Ali Bhutto.
“Nobody cares for our massive financial loss, but they keep on asking about our assets,” he said, and added that the opposition’s criticism was not meant to bring any improvement in the country but was aimed only at targeting him personally.
He said the opposition should rather follow a development-oriented agenda as negative politics had always proved detrimental for the country.
“Those having such nefarious designs should focus on protecting Pakistan’s interests,” he said, adding that the Opposition’s agenda was nothing more than sit-ins and protests.
WHO WILL BE THE BUG AND WHO WILL BE THE WINDSHIELD:
Both the opposition parties and the government had earlier finalised their strategies for Friday’s session, once it was announced that the PM will address the National Assembly on Friday. The opposition parties, led by Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) considered many options in case the PM does not answer the questions put to him by members of opposition.
The opposition in general and the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) in particular planned to go the whole hog and use all the tricks in their bag, ranging from sloganeering, walkout and Gherao of both the NA speaker as well as the leader of the house. The PTI suggested to go on an all-out offensive. However, the consensus among the parties was that the PM shouldn’t be allowed to leave after addressing the House.
On the other hand, the government planned to counter the opposition’s onslaught by ordering sergeants at arms to be prepared in case things get ugly for treasury benches, sources confided.
The government also prepared itself to counter the barbs, the slurs and the slogans of the opposition by making use of the administrative power in its hand. The NA staff was ordered to make sure that no supporter of the opposition be allowed to enter the press and other galleries. Government MPs were told to ensure their presence in the House and to remain prepared to counter the opposition on all fronts. The PM’s advisors counseled him not to take any questions from the opposition and to stick to political and diplomatic answers.
Leader of the Opposition Khursheed Shah, however, is considered by many in opposition as having a ‘soft’ spot for the government. Senator Aitzaz Ahsan, leader of opposition in the Senate, on the other hand, is seen as the point of a spear which is holding the government to account. The representation of opposition has become a test case for Khursheed Shah as he is seen by many even in the opposition as not giving his all to the opposition’s cause.
“There is a visible split in the PPP ranks as Aitzaz Ahsan is tough on the government while Khursheed Shah is soft,” said a lawmaker from the opposition party.
WHEN WILL THE PPP ANSWER FOR BENAZIR’S OFFSHORE COMPANIES?:
PML-N Information Secretary Senator Mushahidullah Khan said he wondered how the opposition parties could blame the prime minister and his family while their own hands are tainted in corruption.
“There is no blame on the PM but the opposition is dragging him unnecessarily into the Panama controversy. On the other hand, the PPP doesn’t respond to the Panama allegations about offshore companies owned by Benazir Bhutto, Rehman Malik and other PPP leaders.”
He said that if the prime minister can be blamed for his children’s offshore companies, why do Bilawal and Asif Zardari not carry the blame for Benazir Bhutto’s offshore companies.
He said that Rehman Malik was equally involved and had even been named in the Panama Leaks, but the PPP was accusing the PM for nothing.
He added that PTI Chairman Imran Khan would also have to answer glaring questions about offshore companies held by Jahangir Tareen, Aleem Khan and others.
Nawaz Sharif is in utter panic. Once again the four clowns are holding a press conference thus wasting time and money of us all. There are no listners by the way. One of them has removed his tie. I think he is son of a late General of Yahya period. This household staff is becoming a public nueasance.
PM cannot refuse to answer. This means admission of the crime. In that case he must be first suspended for min 180 days then impeached like the President of Brazil. I heard her speech just now on BBC.
Why doesn't he answer the questions and get it over with? He has repeatedly said that he hands are clean and he has nothing to hide. Nobody wants to drag this on forever. Nawaz can expose the "agenda" of the opposition by answering the questions. If he does not, then one has to assume that there is a reason for his resistence and the reason cannot be anything else but corruption.
every one is politicking no one is fare here only a crowd of apes and monkies
Like Imaran Khan said in one of his interviews, if the opposition itself is guilty of owning offshore companies or any other corruption for that matter, its the Government’s job to prosecute them, not to blame them in return. It does not justify the government’s corruption. The opposition should definitely point out the government’s corruption and if Nawaz Sharif is innocent, he should not be afraid to face the opposition. Running around and hiding wouldn’t help.
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