ISLAMABAD: Opposition members in the National Assembly Standing Committee on Interior walked out of the committee's meeting on Monday in protest against the continued absence of Interior Minister Sheikh Rashid and secretary Interior from the meeting and demanded that the parliamentary body should be briefed about negotiations with the banned Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP).

The committee members were of the view that proceedings of the committee are fruitless without the presence of relevant minister and the federal secretary. The meeting was held under the chairmanship of MNA Raja Khurram Shahzad Nawaz.

At the start of the meeting, PPP MNA Syed Agha Rafiullah questioned the absence of Interior minister in the meeting. He said that the government has signed an agreement with Tehreek-e-Labbaik (TLP).

Did the Ministry of Interior know about the agreement made with TLP? he asked. He said that the government is negotiating with the banned TTP and the committee should be informed about the dialogue with the proscribed organisation.

Discussion on such important national issues in the meeting in the absence of minister has no value; therefore, it would be better to postpone the meeting till the minister attended it, he said.

Majority of opposition members including Rafiullah, Abdul Qadir Patel, PML-N MNA Rana Ahmed Khan, and Malik Sohail Khan staged a walk out from the meeting in protest against the absence of the minister. Later, members of the committee who staged a walk out, returned at the request chairman Khurram Nawaz.

Patel said that the committee comprises elected members; therefore, the minister needs to attend its meeting. Former interior minister Rehman regularly attended this during his tenure, he said. Patel said that the committee should express displeasure over the absence of the minister.

At this, Khurram Nawaz said that he has already expressed displeasure regarding the matter. Former Interior minister Brigadier Ijaz Shah (retd) and former State minister for Interior Shehryar Afridi had regularly attended the meeting; therefore, the present Interior minister needs to attend the meeting too.

The chairman postponed the agenda of the meeting till the next meeting to be held on Tuesday (today) and assured the members of the committee that he will talk to the National Assembly speaker regarding the matter.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2021