ISLAMABAD - The lawmakers of MQM and Fata parliamentarians on Wednesday separately staged walkouts from the National Assembly (NA) session to record their protests against the government.
The House, with the thin presence of the lawmakers from both sides of the aisle, for the first time in current session disposed of entire 7-point agenda.
Muttahida Qaumi Movement walked out in protest against 'extrajudicial killings' of party workers in Karachi, while Fata MPs alleged the prime minister was continuously neglecting the issues of the people in tribal areas.
Taking the floor, MQM came down hard on incumbent government and criticised police and agencies’ for their alleged excesses in the name of targeted operation in Karachi. "We are getting mutilated bodies of our workers for last couple of days," said MQM lawmaker Asif Hasnain, before staging walkout along with other party members.
Hasnain asked the government to take notice of kidnapping and ‘extra-judicial’ killing of their party workers in Karachi. “Police and agencies are involved in extra-judicial activities of their party workers,” he said while reading from a paper.
He said there was a need to stop conspiracy to detach Karachi from national mainstream. "Is there any conspiracy to turn Karachi into another Bangladesh... What elements are behind such activities?,” he asked from the government.
The Fata parliamentarian, soon after the MQM's walkout, expressed annoyance over prime minister (PM) for not giving time to address their issues. "Despite repeated requests, PM is not giving time for meeting,” said Shah G Gul Afridi, adding that government has also failed to address menace of corruption. "Fata parliamentarians will continue their walkout till assurance from treasury bench,” he said, and left the house along with other five Fata lawmakers.
Earlier, the house witnessed divergence of opinion in treasury benches as Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam(JUI-F) strongly opposed Protection of Pakistan Ordinance, 2014. JUI-F lawmaker Ameer Zaman expressed his annoyance on the report of the Standing Committee on Interior to amend the Protection of Pakistan Ordinance, 2014 which was laid before the House. "We strongly oppose the PPO, as content of this ordinance is against the (interests of) people of the country. It is our democratic right to record our protest," he said, adding that JUI-F had also raised objection when President signed the ordinance.
The statement of objects and reason says that the PPO-2013 was promulgated to provide for protection against waging of war against Pakistan, prevention of acts threatening the security of Pakistan and for speedy trail on certain offences. The government had already got passed the Ordinance, from the National Assembly's Standing Committee on Interior with a majority vote despite resistance from major opposition parties.
The opposition had expressed concern that the government's powers to transfer any case from a court to special court under the bill and to keep any person under detention for a period of 90 days were violation of fundamental rights. The ordinance states that the government may authorise detention of a person, if in the opinion of the government‚ he or she is acting in a manner prejudicial to the integrity‚ security and defence of Pakistan.
A PPP lawmaker Nafeesa Shah, on a point of order, said that government had approved the summary about 'Rental Power Projects' by changing the name to 'Short Term Internal Panel Plants' in ECC. "It means previous government policy was right on this issue," she said, saying that incumbent government had criticised this project.
Another opposition party lawmaker from PTI Asad Umar, on point of order, said government did not share truth about debt to GDP ratio. Responding to call-attention notice about increase in life saving drugs, National Health Service Minister Sara Fazl Tarar said government has constituted a committee to look into this matter.
Earlier, Science and Technology Minister Zahid Hamid laid the Second Quarterly Report for the year 2013-2014 of the Central Board of Directors of the State Bank of Pakistan on the state of Pakistan's economy in the National Assembly as required by section 9A(f) of the State Bank of Pakistan Act, 1956.