Tag: National Assembly

  • PM Khan refers to the alleged audio leak of CJP Nisar as a ‘drama’

    PM Khan refers to the alleged audio leak of CJP Nisar as a ‘drama’

    Addressing the Kamyab Jawan Convention 2021 in Islamabad, Prime Minister (PM) Imran Khan termed the alleged leaked audio of the former Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Saqib Nisar as a “drama”.

    “You need to understand from where all this started. A country where the head, prime minister, and ministers start stealing and taking public funds abroad […] countries are not poor because of lack of resources, they become poor when government officials start stealing from the people. Such a country can never progress,” said PM Khan.

    “It is unfortunate that a man [Nawaz Sharif] who has been convicted by the Supreme Court and has absconded from the country addresses the event,” PM Khan

    Commenting on the Asma Jahangir Conference, PM Khan said, “There was a function in Lahore where the chief justice and Supreme Court judges are invited, and who addresses that event? A man [Nawaz Sharif] who has been convicted by the Supreme Court and who has absconded from the country. It is unfortunate.”

    He added that a nation was destroyed when it stopped considering looting money a bad thing.

    “When a nation’s morals die, that nation dies.”

    “No one can wipe out a nation if its morality is intact,” he remarked.

    “You may call the courts and army bad, I have already been dubbed badly. But you need to answer from where did you get the money to buy those apartments,” PM Imran Khan

    Commenting on the Panama Papers, the premier said that the investigation revealed that PML-N leader Maryam Nawaz owned four flats in London.

    “Where did this money [for the apartments] come from?”

    “You may call the courts bad, you may call the army bad and I have already been [dubbed] bad … But answer from where did you get the money to buy those apartments?”

    The prime minister went on to say that he had been dragged to the court over an apartment he owned in the United Kingdom.

    “[But] I submitted all the details [regarding the case] to the court,” he added, pointing out that he had bought the apartment when he was a cricketer and not a public office holder. “[Yet] I produced all the receipts, but they (PML-N leaders) lied in the National Assembly [regarding their assets].”

    “Not a single document [has been shared] that shows the means to buy the flats [owned by them],” he said.

    “Ever since we came into power three years ago, I am hearing that we will fail,” said the premier

    Addressing the audience, especially the youth, PM Khan said that people told him that in a two-party system, a third party could not form the government. “Ever since we came into power three years ago, I am hearing that we will fail.”

    “Everyone said it was impossible, but Allah made it possible,” he noted, adding that no person has ever become successful through shortcuts, as the secret to success was having a big vision and determination.

    The prime minister said the country was going through a tough time due to the coronavirus as businesses had halted and prices of commodities shot up.

    However, to alleviate the adverse effects of the pandemic, “the government, through Kamyab Pakistan, will provide interest-free loans to four million deserving households for building their own homes and teach them skills,” he said.

  • ‘Thay 64 nikly 50 votes’, PPP’s Mustafa Khokhar says it’s also Opposition’s fault

    ‘Thay 64 nikly 50 votes’, PPP’s Mustafa Khokhar says it’s also Opposition’s fault

    Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) leader Mustafa Nawaz Khokhar appeared in Geo News’ programme ‘Aaj Shahzeb Khanzada Kay Sath’ and questioned the role of Chairman of Senate of Pakistan Sadiq Sanjrani. Khokhar said that it was the Opposition’s fault too as their party’s members weren’t present at the time during the time of voting.

    The bills proposed by the PTI government were officially passed by the Upper House of Parliament (Senate) on Friday. While answering the question on the conflicts between the Joint Opposition, Khokhar maintained his stance and said that the Opposition should have maintained the number while voting in Senate.

    “Thy 64, nikly 50 votes” (They were supposed to be 64 votes but actual votes were 50) he added. While criticising the government, Khokhar stated: “We know which people had been called by Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaaf (PTI) in the joint session of parliament.”

    The joint Opposition of the parliament is expected to meet today (Saturday) to decide how and when it will challenge the passed laws by the government in the parliament (which were passed in Opposition’s absence) in court, reports Dawn.

    “The meeting discussed the issue of bulldozing the government’s legislation in the joint sitting of the parliament and decided that the united opposition would challenge the government’s fascism and unconstitutionality inside and outside parliament,” said Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz’s (PML-N) information secretary Marriyum Aurangzeb.

    Speaking in the meeting, the Leader of the Opposition and President of PML-N Shehbaz Sharif said the constitution did not recognise the government’s legislation as legal and termed the laws “decrees” of Imran Niazi” (Prime Minister Imran Khan).

    He was quoted as saying: “The government, which has been bombing the people with inflation, carried out a suicide attack on the parliament. After being disgraced by the people, the PTI government is now attacking the constitution.”

    While voting in the Parliament on Thursday, the Opposition walked out of the National Assembly (NA) and gave the government a chance to pass the laws on their own.

  • Joint session ‘big victory’ for Govt, Opp to move ‘no-confidence’ motion against Senate Chairman

    Joint session ‘big victory’ for Govt, Opp to move ‘no-confidence’ motion against Senate Chairman

    The government on Wednesday managed to force amendments to the Elections Act, 2017, allowing the use of electronic voting machines and granting voting rights to overseas Pakistanis. A total of 33 bills were passed amidst the Opposition’s continuous protest against them.

    Information Minister Fawad Chaudhry termed the passage of 33 bills in a joint sitting of parliament a “big victory” for the government.

    Speaking at a press conference, Fawad said, “The Opposition will remember this defeat for a long time and must have realised about its strength today (Wednesday) in parliament and now its dream to remove the Senate chairman will not come true.”

    “Those considering moving no-confidence motion against government functionaries should have a second thought about their assessments,” said Fawad.

    The Opposition on Wednesday decided to challenge the bills that were passed in parliament.

    Earlier the Opposition was considering bringing a no-confidence motion against Senate Chairman Sadiq Sanjrani or National Assembly (NA) Speaker Asad Qaiser as a tester to confirm the present strength of treasury in parliament.

    Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) leaders Shahid Khaqan Abbasi and Khurram Dastagir said on a Dawn News TV show that the motion would be moved soon. They said if the motion became successful, then a similar motion could be moved against the Prime Minister (PM) Imran Khan.

    On the Opposition’s decision to move the court against the bills, Fawad said both the Houses had approved the legislation, so it would not be an “easy task” to challenge them.

    “Both the Houses have passed the bills […] it will be hard to challenge them, but they can be challenged,” added Fawad.

    Leader of the Opposition in the National Assembly Shehbaz Sharif, speaking to media outside Parliament, said legislation was bulldozed and NA Speaker Asad Qaiser had “trampled” Parliamentary traditions.

    “Legislation cannot take place in such an atmosphere […] the votes counted for the Opposition were far fewer than their actual numbers,” he added.

    “We believe three or four additional votes were counted in favour of the government,” he said, adding: “We had more than 200 lawmakers in the house today.”

    Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) Chairperson Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari said, “The government did not emerge victorious today in parliament.”

    Bilawal tried to explain that according to the law, more than half of the combined votes of a joint sitting were required to get a law passed in parliament.

    Bilawal said he “tried his best” to draw the attention of the treasury benches and NA Speaker towards the joint sitting’s rules, but no one paid heed to it.

  • ‘Evil and vicious machine,’ and ‘respect your own chair, position’: Opp and govt come face to face

    ‘Evil and vicious machine,’ and ‘respect your own chair, position’: Opp and govt come face to face

    The government on Wednesday managed to bulldoze amendments to the Elections Act, 2017, in the joint session of parliament, allowing the use of electronic voting machines and granting voting rights to overseas Pakistanis.

    Shehbaz Sharif: “Electronic voting machines should be called evil and vicious machines.”

    Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) President and Leader of the Opposition in National Assembly (NA) Shehbaz Sharif termed electronic voting machines (EVMs) “evil and vicious machines” and accused the government of not being sincere in creating a consensus on electoral reforms in the joint session.

    Stating that the government was bulldozing important bills, he said that it was “illegal” and that it was equivalent to spoiling the traditions of the house.

    “You [Speaker National Assembly Asad Qaiser] sent a letter to me and the whole joint Opposition,” he said, adding that in response he submitted a comprehensive answer with “great suggestions”. “But you cancelled your contact and we received no answer from you.”

    “This is the first time in history that there are allegations of rigging before the elections.”

    Shehbaz said the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP), which is responsible for carrying out fair and transparent elections, had also expressed its reservations about EVMs. “They [govt] want to pass these laws despite their [ECP] reservations.”

    He said that the party that had once talked about democracy, transparency, and change, now wanted to pass “black laws”.

    “If you allow this black law to be passed, then Pakistan will be severely damaged for which responsibility will be on you and them,” he said while addressing Qaiser.

    “If the government used the energy that it is spending on this issue to tackle inflation, then we might have seen a difference. But they are not concerned. They are only concerned with remaining in power without securing the people’s vote.”

    In response to the Leader of the Opposition, Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi presented from the government’s side.

    Shah Mahmood Qureshi: “Govt wants to wash away blackness of past.”

    “Shehbaz said that the government wanted to introduce a black law. Absolutely not, the government wants to wash away the blackness of the past,” said Qureshi.

    Qureshi rejected the notion that the government had previously cancelled the joint session because it did not have majority support said, “If we didn’t have the numbers, then how are we presenting these bills today? There is solidarity in government ranks and our allies are standing with us.”

    “You call EVMs ‘evil and vicious machines’ and that is your right. But EVMs are not evil and vicious machines, they are being introduced to bury evil and vicious designs.”

    Following Qureshi’s address, Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) chairperson Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari was asked to deliver his speech.

    Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari: “[Speaker AsadQaiser] Respect your own chair, position.”

    Addressing the Speaker Asad Qaiser, PPP chairperson Bilawal Bhutto requested him to “respect his own chair”, “respect his own position” and “respect the House”.

    Bilawal criticised the government’s “one-sided” electoral reforms which have never been witnessed in the country’s history.

    Referring to the government of former PM Nawaz Sharif, Bilawal said: “If that government had unilaterally decided and used the majority to force reforms, then the PTI and the PPP would not have been able to do anything.”

    “If they had decided to introduce a constitutional amendment, then we would have to accept their decision. But they achieved a consensus,” he said.

    “If we were all legislating together, the next election would have been transparent,” Bilawal said.

    “If we carried out reforms together then the next election would not be controversial and it would have been Khan Sahab’s success.”

    He said the government is making the next election controversial and gave an ultimatum that they will not accept the next election if the bill for EVMs is passed.

    Bilawal said they will stand by the ECP. “As long as the ECP has reservations, we have reservations,” Bilawal said.

    “How can we accept your suggestion where Pakistanis sitting in Paris, California and Britain decide for the people of Karachi and the tribal areas? They should have their own electoral college.”

    Bilawal further said that the government had given a National Reconciliation Ordinance (NRO) to Indian spy Kulbhushan Jadhav.

    “If you have to give relief to anyone then it should be the poor people of Pakistan who are facing a multitude of problems […] how can you expect that we will permit you to use this House to give an NRO to that Indian spy?”

  • Self-proclaimed ‘icon of Karachi’ Aamir Liaquat ‘called to National Assembly’ after not meeting Khan

    Self-proclaimed ‘icon of Karachi’ Aamir Liaquat ‘called to National Assembly’ after not meeting Khan

    Former television host Amir Liaqat took to Twitter to reclaim his grievances against Prime Minister (PM) Imran Khan.

    Liaquat tweeted, “PM met every member but not have a time for the ICON of Karachi, the man who got a seat for PTI from the most crucial constituency, defeated my old senior college [colleague], Farooq Sattar.”

    “I have defended PM and First Lady (Bhabhj) every time but he have no time, it is ok?” tweeted Liaquat.

    Making an appearance at the National Assembly (NA) this morning, Liaquat while talking to Journalist Azaz Syed said, “I have not come on my own, I was especially called to NA.”

    On October 4, Liaquat resigned from Pakistan Tehreek Insaf (PTI).

    “Resigned from the National Assembly. May Allah Almighty support Imran Khan and PTI. Good-Bye,” Liaquat said in a tweet.

  • ‘People gathered in the public meeting will thrash the Oppostion’: Asad Umar

    Minister for Planning and Development Asad Umar in a public meeting on Friday warned the Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM) if it staged a long march to Islamabad to topple the government, “the people gathered in the public meeting will thrash you,” reports Dawn.

    His comments come after the Opposition is considering bringing a no-confidence motion against Senate Chairman Sadiq Sanjrani or National Assembly(NA) Speaker Asad Qaiser as a tester to confirm the present strength of treasury in parliament.

    Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) leaders Shahid Khaqan Abbasi and Khurram Dastagir said on a Dawn News TV show that the motion would be moved soon. They said if the motion became successful, then a similar motion could be moved against the prime minister.

    Dastagir said: “The motion can be moved within two months against the Senate chairman or the NA Speaker.”

    Meanwhile, Minister for Information and Broadcasting Fawad Chaudhry said at a press conference that “the coalition parties have also expressed confidence in the leadership of Prime Minister (PM) Imran Khan”.

    The minister said these words after the premier held a third meeting on Friday with the leaders of the ruling Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) in a week amid “shattered” confidence of allies in the government’s working and the Opposition’s threat to topple the government.

  • Bilawal Bhutto meets Maulana Fazlur Rehman

    Bilawal Bhutto meets Maulana Fazlur Rehman

    Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) Chairperson Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari meets Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM) chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman today in Islamabad.

    Geo News reported that the PPP made contact with PDM after having resigned from all PDM offices in April 2021, saying that no party “should try and impose their will and dictation on any other political party”. 

    The meeting comes after the Opposition parties have “united” to adopt a joint strategy against the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) government.

    Members of the united Opposition on Thursday met National Assembly (NA) Speaker Asad Qaiser twice and asked him to give them in writing the terms of engagements, which should include a categorical statement that it was the government that approached them for dialogue.

    “We are going to communicate to the Speaker that he should give us in writing because we do not want to hear that we (the Opposition) have been pressing for a dialogue,” said Sherry Rehman.

  • ‘We have not been pressing for dialogue’: Opposition seeks written assurances from govt on legislation

    ‘We have not been pressing for dialogue’: Opposition seeks written assurances from govt on legislation

    Members of the united Opposition on Thursday met National Assembly (NA) Speaker Asad Qaiser twice and asked him to give them in writing the terms of engagements, which should include a categorical statement that it was the government that approached them for dialogue, reports Dawn.

    “We are going to communicate to the Speaker that he should give us in writing because we do not want to hear that we (the Opposition) have been pressing for a dialogue,” said the parliamentary leader of the Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) in Senate Sherry Rehman.

    “The steering committee will consider further action after receiving legislation in writing from the Speaker regarding the bills and ordinances to be discussed in the joint session,” said Sherry. “We believe in the supremacy of parliament and dialogue but obviously, our leadership will take the final decision after the steering committee deliberations,” she added.

    Former Speaker NA Sardar Ayaz Sadiq said, “The Speaker called me and Naveed Qamar and said he wanted the government and the Opposition to sit down and talk about the 20 bills related to the ordinances. We responded that we will talk to the party leadership first.”

    The Opposition parties had formed a steering committee on Wednesday to formulate a joint strategy after the government postponed Thursday’s joint session of parliament.

    The Opposition Leader in National Assembly Shehbaz Sharif and PPP Chairperson Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari termed the government’s decision of postponing the joint session as their victory.

    “The hasty convening of the joint meeting and then the hasty adjournment shows the seriousness of the government that had made sensitive and serious issues like legislation a child’s play,” said Shehbaz.

    Bilawal said “Kaptaan bhag gaya” (the captain ran away), sharing President Arif Alvi’s notification for the postponement of the session.

  • ‘Kaptaan bhaag gaya’: Opposition criticises govt for postponing joint Parliament session

    ‘Kaptaan bhaag gaya’: Opposition criticises govt for postponing joint Parliament session

    Opposition Leader in National Assembly Shehbaz Sharif and Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) Chairperson Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari termed the government’s decision of postponing the joint Parliament session as their victory.

    “Imran Niazi should resign after it was clearly exposed that he had lost the trust of his members and allies,” said Shehbaz.

    “The hasty convening of the joint meeting and then the hasty adjournment shows the seriousness of the government that had made sensitive and serious issues like legislation a child’s play,” he said.

    “Those claiming to compete on the field have fled the field,” he said. Shehbaz Sharif said that the postponement of the joint session of the Parliament proves that the government has confirmed its defeat on the legislation of “black laws.”

    Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari said on Wednesday that the government postponed the Parliament’s joint session as it had “foreseen its defeat”.

    Taking to Twitter, Bilawal said “Kaptaan bhag gaya” (the captain ran away), sharing President Arif Alvi’s notification for the postponement of the session.

    “Yet another victory for the United Opposition in the Parliament today. Government ran away from joint sessions when they saw they would be defeated yet again. Kaptaan Bagh[sic] gaya,” tweeted Bilawal.

    Federal Minister for Information Fawad Chaudhry took to Twitter and announced that the joint parliamentary session, which was earlier called by President Dr Arif Alvi on Thursday (November 11) has been postponed.

  • Joint parliamentary session postponed: Fawad Chaudhry

    Joint parliamentary session postponed: Fawad Chaudhry

    Federal Minister for Information Fawad Chaudhry took to Twitter and announced that the joint parliamentary session, which was earlier called by President Dr Arif Alvi on Thursday (November 11) has been postponed.

    Chaudhry said that electoral reforms are extremely important for the future of Pakistan. He said that the government wants a consensus on this issue, which is why Speaker National Assembly Asad Qaiser has been asked to contact the Opposition again and build a consensus on electoral reforms bill. Chaudhry added that this is why the joint session has been postponed.

    “We hope that the Opposition will seriously consider these important reforms and we will be able to come up with a common strategy for the future of Pakistan, ” he added.

    On the other hand, the “united” Opposition said they were certain that their members would be present at the joint session and had agreed to defeat the government bills on electoral reforms, National Accountability Bureau (NAB) ordinance and other bills.