ISLAMABAD The acrimony between opposition and government legislators in the lower chamber of parliament did not abate on Monday, despite the fact that the third round of negotiations between the PTI and the government to calm political temperatures is about to begin.
The National Assembly convened for the first time this year, but just after Opposition Leader Omar Ayub concluded his speech, PTI legislators disrupted the session with loud protests.
Mr. Ayub urged at the beginning of the proceedings that an independent inquiry commission look into the claims of psychological and physical torture of civilians who were being tried by military courts. It should be mentioned that military courts last month found several PTI supporters guilty of their roles in the May 9 violence.
Additionally, Mr. Ayub reprimanded government officials for their remarks regarding the potential outcome of the Al-Qadir Trust case. He asserted that after a deal between a private businessman and the UK’s National Crime Agency (NCA), the funds ended up in the Supreme Court’s account before being moved to the national treasury. He asked, “What are Imran Khan and Bushra Bibi involved in?”
Additionally, the PTI expressed concern over the purported “disappearance” of its activists on November 26 and called for their prompt return.
Opposition lawmakers erupted in a spat just after he concluded his address. At a previous joint parliamentary party meeting of PTI senators and MNAs, the decision to file such a protest was made, and tensions persisted throughout house proceedings.
Instead of posing a question, a PTI MP brought up the Nov. 26 protest at the beginning of Question Hour. PTI legislators continued to chant against the purported shooting at D-Chowk, which is said to have killed multiple demonstrators, throughout the session. During Question Hour, PTI members also organized a walkout.
“Smokescreen”
The party’s outbursts during Question Hour were addressed by the federal ministers of information and defense. Defense Minister Khawaja Asif questioned if negotiations could take place in such a setting and claimed that the PTI was using conversation as a cover.
“They [PTI leaders] claim that I oppose talks. They don’t want to discuss because their actions in the National Assembly won’t help the negotiations go well,” the defense minister stated.
According to him, the NA speaker and former prime minister Raja Pervaiz Ashraf were in discussions, and the main goal was to make sure the house ran well.
According to him, the PTI once said that the government lacked power and that speaking with the ruling coalition was pointless.
Mr. Asif suggested that the PTI engage in direct talks with persons they believed to be in positions of real authority. He noted that the opposition leader was given the floor during question hour as a courtesy by the chair, but he took advantage of the situation.
The PTI was also criticized by Information Minister Attaullah Tarar, who said that the former ruling party created a false narrative about the crackdown on November 26 on social media by using “agents” both domestically and abroad. He brought up the fact that the PTI leaders themselves disagreed on how many people died in Islamabad on November 26.
The PTI leadership, according to Mr. Tarar, ought to keep in mind the innocent members of a family who were killed in Sahiwal while they were in power.
The minister also mentioned the stampede in Qasim Bagh in Multan during the PTI government and the crackdown on the TLP in Lahore.
Iqbal Afridi, a PTI member, attempted to interrupt the information minister’s speech by pointing out that there was not a quorum, but the house was determined to be in order.
The PPP’s Agha Rafiullah also criticized the PTI members’ approach, stating that no one should expect them to discuss public matters.
