ASWJ rally in capital: Senators accuse government of showing double standards

The opposition lawmakers in Senate Friday lambasted the government for its double standard that allowed a banned outfit - proscribed Ahle Sunnat Wal Jamat - to hold rally in capital despite imposition of Section 144, and used excessive force against workers of a political party - Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI).
The Senate which was summoned on the requisition of opposition held debate on the motion jointly moved by opposition senators "to discuss the continued brutal crackdown on political workers in violation of fundamental rights, the intended closure of Islamabad and the violation of Islamabad High Court order".
Opening the debate on the motion, PPP's Taj Haider strongly condemned use of force against PTI workers by the government, adding the country was seemingly going toward anarchy due to the government actions against political workers. "We have to be united to condemn these fascist actions against political workers," he said, adding the day when brutal actions were undertaking against the political workers, a banned organisation was allowed by the government to hold rally in Islamabad.
"The banned outfit that promotes terrorism and extremism are once again being encouraged in the mainstream," he said, adding the PPP through one or the other way succeeded to complete its five-year term but one must think as to how the PML-N be able to complete its term when its actions itself are dragging it towards suicide.
He also said the measures taken against PTI leaders and workers could have seriously undermined democracy, adding it was his right that the prime minister should be above any doubt, whereas the incumbent Prime Minister was not ready to listen and was constantly running away from inquiry with regards to Panama Papers.
He also urged the government to fully support the opposition bill for inquiry into Panama Leaks, adding there was still time for the Prime Minister to submit himself for accountability and if he was innocent, he would emerge stronger than before and otherwise must have to resign.
Usman Kakar of PKMAP was of the view that politicians should not underestimate the power of the parliament, adding solution to all the problems was only available at this platform. "A chaos like situation is being created whenever a retirement date of anybody comes closer," he said in an obvious reference to the retirement of CoAS General Reheel Sharif.
He said that power should be through vote of the people and any political party which is trying to hold the powers with the support of the establishment or any other unfair means should be discouraged. According to him, the basic issue was that the undemocratic forces in Pakistan were still not ready even to accept the supremacy of the Parliament and certain parties were prepared again to back them, as had happened in the past.
He maintained the 2014 sit-in had fizzled out after a compromise and same had been agreed upon with regards to PTI's recent protest in Islamabad that should not have happened. "Courts are also compromising on the issues and everybody knows that...there should be no compromise on supremacy of the Parliament as well as the Constitution," he asserted.
MQM's Colonel Tahir Hussain Mashhadi (Retd) also came hard on the government for allowing the banned organisations to hold rallies in Islamabad. "Interior Minister Chaudhry Nisar does not have time for a meeting with political parties but he happily meets leaders of the banned outfits and also allow them to hold rally under "Non-Action Plan" [National Action Plan]...which is deplorable," he added.
He also demanded that Rangers should also be deployed in Punjab, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and elsewhere it needed and only Karachi should not be pinned point and justice should seen equally. ANP's Ilyas Bilour, though condemned use of force against PTI workers, yet he also criticised the PTI leadership decision of Islamabad lockdown, describing it completely against the spirit of democratic norms.
He said that the country should not be made hostage for a "wish to become prime minister". "You should become the Prime Minister through votes but not to say that Prime Minster Bana Do, Coca Cola Pila Do", Bilour said sarcastically in an apparent reference to PTI chairman Imran Khan. He also called upon the government to support the opposition bill in the Senate and pass it immediately.
Senator Sirajul Haq of Jamaat-e-Islami said democracy was the name of tolerance and consultation, which was missing, as the government treats opposition as an enemy which is reflective in the recent use of force against PTI workers. He regretted that the opposition also failed to bring about a consensus piece of legislation on corruption and Panama Leaks. He said that the government, opposition and the judiciary in Singapore and Hong Kong had joined hands to eliminate corruption and had been successful.
PTI's Senator Shibli Faraz strongly condemned use of force against his party workers, saying the workers were peaceful and had no intention of violence. He said that it was deplorable that Chief Minister of KP was blocked to enter another province which was an attempt to weaken the federation.
He said that some senators were neither here nor there on the issue of corruption, adding public was smarter and knew well about them. He said the party took to the streets after every institution did not respond to their call for eradicating corruption, adding the way Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister and his entourage were treated with baton-charge and shelling, it appeared as if they were in the Indian occupied Kashmir.
He criticised the government for allegedly spending billions of rupees from the national exchequer on ads in media to defend the Prime Minister with regards to Panama Papers. Winding up the debate, Minister of State for Interior Baligh-ur-Rehman defended the government actions, saying based on the threatening tone of Imran Khan, it could have been a criminal negligence on part of the government, adding primitive measures were needed to avert the chaos.
He said that the government believes in freedom of speech and democratic norms but neither the government nor the state can allow anyone to lockdown the capital. He maintained that no raid at any house was conducted in Islamabad and the police have arrested 323 workers for violation of Section 144 and FIRs against them have already been registered.
"There was nothing such as brutal...the steps undertaken by the government proved to be helpful in establishing writ of the state in the federal capital which was necessary," he added.
Referring to weapons recovered from the vehicle of PTI's provincial minister Ali Amin Gandapur, he said that the arms were not licensed as so far not a single license was produced and case against him has been lodged but he is still an absconder. About the Panama papers inquiry, he said that the government was ready to face the accountability, adding the prime minister himself had written to the apex court for formation of a judicial commission.