Opposition in NA slams govt with PPPP activists’ murder

By Shaukat Piracha

ISLAMABAD: Opposition parties in the National Assembly on Tuesday evening strongly protested against the proceedings of the House and boycotted them on the killing of three PPP activists in Attock the other day.

Members from all opposition parties stood in their places and did not allow Speaker Chaudhry Amir Hussain to conduct business. Only one Attention Notice moved by the treasury members was taken up during the entire proceedings.

The Alliance for Restoration of Democracy (ARD) shouted “we do not accept rules of cruelty”, “Oh cruel people, be accountable for our blood” and walked out from the house. The opposition also accused the government of pre-meditated murder of opposition activists.

Raja Pervez Ashraf of PPPP said his life was threatened by ruling party activists because he was the coordinator of the combined opposition candidate’s electoral campaign in Attock.

Syed Naveed Qamar of the PPPP wanted to move an adjournment motion against the murder of the three activists whereas Liaqat Baloch of the MMA wanted to move a privilege motion on the accusation by Interior Minister Syed Faisal Saleh Hayat that the Jamaat-e-Islami was harbouring Qaeda operatives in Pakistan. However, the speaker did not allow both of them.

This prompted the opposition to make one of the loudest protests in the house and nothing could be heard throughout of the proceedings. The PPPP members reached the speaker’s podium and argued loudly with him, but their boisterousness went in vain.

The speaker called every mover (from the opposition) to present his or her agenda but the opposition members refused to do so and asserted that their motions be taken up. Liaqat Baloch did respond to one of his items but repeated his demand that he should be allowed to present his privilege motion.

Addressing a press conference after the boycott of the house proceedings, Raja Pervez Ashraf said District Nazim Attock Major (Retd) Tahir Sadiq, Chief Minister Pervaiz Elahi, Prime Minister Shujaat Hussain and General Pervez Musharraf were directly responsible for the murder of the PPP activists. He said Mr Sadiq had been threatening the PPP activists of dire consequences publicly but the administration had done nothing to ensure their security.

Shah Mahmood Qureshi said the government had closed political, legal and parliamentary options to the opposition to protest against the brutal killings.

Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan of PML-N accused the government of using the murder of the political workers to help Finance Minister Shaukat Aziz win the elections and that the speaker had rendered the house worthless by bowing to government pressure to ignore the opposition.

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