ISLAMABAD: The issues of whether the speech of the opposition leader in the National Assembly should 'go on air live or not' dominated the proceedings of the house for second consecutive day on Tuesday.
Minister for Science and Technology, Rana Tanveer Hussain argued that the Pakistan Peoples Party Parliamentarian in its five years tenure did not set any such precedent to allow live-telecast of speech by the opposition leader.
Only the budget speech of Finance Minister had been telecast live since Pakistan television started its transmission, he maintained.
Even when Pakistan Muslim League was having much better position in opposition benches during the PPPP tenure, they were not given privilege to be telecast live.
He said the PML-N had always given space to the opposition even at this time when it is comprised two to three parties.
He said that opposition leader Syed Khursheed Ahmed Shah had always upheld supremacy of the parliament, so was his character during the sit-ins of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf.
However, he added that he failed to understand why his thinking had changed, adding it seemed that there were some other motives behind and the opposition leader seemed influenced by the PTI.
He was of the view that the opposition leader should play its positive role and should not fall in the trap of the party which had no respect for this parliament and was favouring mindset of dictatorship.
He said that PML-N always appreciated the politicians for playing positive role for democracy and argued that had the speaker not allowed the opposition leader to speak on the floor of house, there should be such hue and cry.
Due to the cooperation of the opposition, the house was run smoothly for last four years, so let it continued in the same manner for remaining time, he pleaded.
Earlier, speaking on point of order, Opposition Leader, Syed Khursheed Ahmed Shah said that the opposition was ready to go with the government provided they were allowed to be given live coverage by the television.
He advised the government that it should allow live telecast which would strengthen democracy.
He was of the view that disallowing the live telecast of opposition leader's speech was not a political rather a bureaucratic decision.
He said that the opposition had come to the parliament with a good spirit, so it should prevail.
Speaking on the occasion, Deputy Parliamentary Leader, Shah Mehmood Qureshi said that the role of speaker has always been impressive.
Pointing towards the opposition leader, he said that Shah was the same person who was appreciated by PML-N during PTI sit in, claiming that PML(N) was not only party upholding democracy, there are other parties who believe in democracy.
Qureshi said in democratic set up, the government always carried the minority side by side and that was essence of democracy.
Later, the Opposition staged walked out of the proceeding for not being allowed to deliver live speeches.
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