ISLAMABAD: In an unexpected move, Chairman Senate Sadiq Sanjrani unceremoniously prorogued the Senate session on Friday after he failed to put the house in order in the mid of pandemonium stirred by opposition’s protest against the alleged torture inflicted by Islamabad Police on Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leader Shahbaz Gill.
The opposition lawmakers attended the session wearing black armbands to protest Gill’s detention.
The 320th Senate session was prorogued in the same manner it was summoned just two days ago — hastily without any prior intimation. No bill was passed in the entire session. Led by the Leader of the House in the Senate, Dr Shahzad Waseem, the opposition senators chanted anti-government slogans as a visibly embarrassed Sanjrani struggled to control the affairs of the house proceedings.
Sanjrani repeatedly warned the opposition senators that he would prorogue the session if the opposition senators did not settle in their seats — but to no avail.
“Violence, unacceptable! imported government, unacceptable! fascist government, unacceptable!” the opposition senators kept shouting during the Senate sitting.
“Shahbaz Gill was shifted from hospital to the court without any oxygen support despite that he is critically ill — only a fascist government can do that,” remarked the opposition leader on the floor of the house.
The opposition leaders went to the PIMS (Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences) to inquire after Gill’s health but they were not allowed to meet him, he said.
He alleged that Gill was again tortured on Friday. “He (Gill) cried for justice — when he was being taken to the court. It is enough to shake anyone’s conscience,” he added.
“Do hold a fair trial — but don’t violate the Constitution and the law,” Waseem said.
Holding a copy of the Constitution, the opposition leader said: “This is the Constitution of Pakistan. What will you do about it? This is a test case for you. You are making an example out of your political opponents.”
The senator extended his homage to Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) Senator Mustafa Nawaz Khokhar for strongly condemning the torture on Gill.
The PTI stalwart alleged that the opposition was trying to get the Torture and Custodial Death (Prevention and Punishment) Bill, 2022 passed by the Senate in a bid to get financial aid from the European Union (EU).
Taking the floor, Climate Change Minister Sherry Rehman said that Gill’s picture issued by the authorities did not show any sign of torture on him. Her statement infuriated the opposition leaders who continued sloganeering and protests during the minister’s speech.
Sherry’s words appeared in stark contradiction to Khokhar, her party colleague, who tweeted on Thursday in strong condemnation of the torture.
The minister, however, said: “We never support any kind of violence — but the opposition should have the courage to hear the truth — when Imran Khan was in power, he recklessly used the NAB (National Accountability Bureau) against the political opponents. Now they say, we are not answerable to the FIA (Federal Investigation Agency).”
Parliamentary Affairs Minister Murtaza Abbasi also denied that Gill was subjected to severe torture during physical remand in Islamabad Police custody. This too, attracted the opposition’s ire.
Amid furore, the chairman Senate, who received severe criticism from the opposition throughout the session for his inability to smoothly run the affairs of the Senate, prorogued the session.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2022
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