ISLAMABAD: Apparently, in an effort to strike a conciliatory tone, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf senators joined the joint session of parliament after a hiatus.
The joint session was presided over by National Assembly Speaker Raja Pervaiz Ashraf. However, after an exchange of loud sloganeering and consequent ruckus between the treasury and opposition benches, the speaker adjourned the sitting till 11 am on April 10.
The PTI senators entered the Parliament House while protesting, and raising anti-government slogans like ‘laathi goli ki sarkar nahi chalay gi’, ‘Imran teray jaanisar, beshumar’ and ‘Zulm ke ye zaabtay hum nahi maantay’.
Dr Shahzad Waseem said this was the first time that PTI senators had attended the joint session of parliament. “Our members will discuss national issues,” the PTI senator stated.
Dr Waseem said the excuse offered for not holding elections in Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa was a lack of funds.
He claimed the Constitution had been violated, adding a huge responsibility must be placed on the election commission.
He said the commission did not need directions from anybody; it had been directed by the Supreme Court to hold elections; however, it announced at midnight and delayed the exercise.
The PTI leader further said the National Assembly has been incomplete for a long time and should be completed legally and constitutionally as soon as possible.
Dr Waseem said that in the history of nations, some days are important and serve as milestones.
Later, the media representatives walked out of the press gallery in protest.
Fiery speeches during joint session of Parliament
PML-N’s Murtaza Javed Abbasi said the journalists had legitimate demands that should be fulfilled.
The lawmaker said that the law and interior minister did not act against the violence on media representatives outside the high court.
Minister for Communications Asad Mahmood expressed his views and said they ousted the PTI government and will never let it in again.
He claimed that the establishment also expressed its no-confidence in the PTI and said it could not run the government. He said the ruling alliance had been formed to ensure clean and transparent elections.
The JUI-F member stated that the government could not interfere in the election commission’s affairs. He added that if the parliamentary committees could summon the army chief, they could also call judges.
The decisions of some judges, including former CJP Saqib Nisar, created political instability in the country, Mahmood claimed.
He further challenged the PTI to organize a rally without music. He remarked that the party holds its gatherings through women and music.
These remarks elicited a strong protest and a hue and cried by the PTI members in the House.
The minister then called former prime minister Imran Khan a “foreign agent” for whom the entire world was pained. “Zalmay Khalilzad did not see Dr Aafia, but only saw Imran Khan.”
He also alleged that terrorists in plain clothes hid in Zaman Park, Lahore, claiming they would not let “foreign agents” stay in Pakistan.
Upon this, the PTI resorted to slogans of “diesel,” and Mufti Abdul Shakoor shouted “ghari chor,” “Yahoodi agent,” which created uproar in the House.
Maulana Asad further stated that Pakistan would progress and Imran Khan would not become the prime minister, adding that the government was trying to regain the international community’s trust.
He challenged the PTI to dare get Israel recognized.
