PM suggests commission formation to expose facts shaping past political landscape

ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi Wednesday floated the idea of formation of a Truth and Reconciliation Commission with consensus of all the political parties, so that the facts shaping major events in the annals of history could be exposed.

In a TV programme aired by a private news channel, the prime minister said that the objective of formation of such a commission would not be to persecute anyone, or to award the punishment, but at least the facts behind the major events could be unfolded before the people.

The prime minister said whatever happened during Pakistan Tahreek-e-Insaf’s sit-in should also be brought before the public.

“All this can be possible through formation of a Commission with consensus in the parliament as it was practiced worldwide,” he added.

To another question, the prime minister said all the institutions in the country should work under their constitutional domains.

All the institutions including judiciary and National Accountability Bureau should give consideration whether with their acts, they were hampering the functioning of the government, he added.

About the consensus nominee to run affairs of the government during the caretaker set up, the prime minister expressed the hope that the issue could be resolved by Thursday.

“If there is no consensus, then the issue will go to the parliamentary parties committee for consideration. The last forum to address the issue is Election Commission of Pakistan,” he added.

He reiterated that elections would be held on time. “The country can no longer afford ploys of entering through backdoors,” he emphasized.

He maintained that any delay caused in the holding of elections would amount to constitutional violation.

The prime minister further elaborated about the commission that he was in favour of sifting through the history of last seventy years and would support whoever would be in the government.

He also cautioned to learn from the bitter lessons of the past and insisted on finding solutions to all issues under the constitution.

“The Constitution is supreme and gives us power to run affairs of the country. I have to perform under the constitution and ensure supremacy of the parliament,” he added.

The prime minister to a query regretted that judicial activism and NAB had paralyzed the functioning of the government and he had brought such issue on the floor of the House.

He said it was his opinion that the judicial activism and the NAB’s actions were causing immense loss to the country. Under such conditions, the government functionaries were not performing due to lingering fear of being dragged in the courts, he said.

He insisted that all the institutions should focus on their responsibilities and avoid interfering into the domains of others. The chief executive was accountable if it did not perform well, he added. About merger of Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA) , the prime minister said efforts were being afoot with all the political parties on board.

The prime minister said the tribal areas would retain their national assembly seats whereas delimitation for the provincial assembly seats would be done after one year.

About PML-N legislators leaving the party, the prime minister said that he respected their political decisions, but he never saw such people earning respect in the past.

He said the PML-N had strong candidates to contest the general election and win. To another question, he said Nawaz Sharif’s interview with daily The Dawn was quoted out of the context and distorted by the Indian media.

His statement was misreported outside the court and the newspaper created a wrong impression, the prime minister said, adding Nawaz Sharif’s stance was consistent with Pakistan’s foreign policy.

He never said that people were sent to attack Mumbai. “I have great respect for the media but it spread Indian propaganda without consideration. Such things were not in national interest. There ought to be responsibility over such issues.

He also maintained that Nawaz Sharif did not violate sanctity of his oath as he had his narrative enshrined under the constitutional provisions.

The prime minister also termed the Panama issue as ‘mere a political case’. He said in the instant case, the justice was not seen to have been done. From 1999, cite any National Accountability Bureau case in which at least two hearings were held, he questioned.

The prime minister maintained that the Avenfield apartments were not owned by Nawaz Sharif. Whoever claimed their ownership should be summoned and questioned, he added.