Tag: National Assembly

  • VIDEO: PML-N takes credit for construction of Sialkot motorway while talking about gang-rape

    VIDEO: PML-N takes credit for construction of Sialkot motorway while talking about gang-rape

    President of the former ruling Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N), Shehbaz Sharif, has sought credit for his party and brother, former prime minister (PM) Nawaz Sharif, for the construction of the Lahore-Sialkot Motorway while mentioning the gang-rape that took place there last week.

    “I request that an investigation be carried out… the motorway… because this horrible incident took place on the Sialkot motorway, I think it won’t be inappropriate to mention that it was also constructed under the leadership of Mian Nawaz Sharif,” Shehbaz said on the floor of the National Assembly (NA).

    WATCH VIDEO:

    Earlier, Monday’s session of the NA saw heated arguments between members of the government and opposition over the horrifying incident of gang-rape of a mother of three after her car ran out of fuel on the motorway past midnight last Tuesday.

    As per the details, the woman, along with her three children, was driving to Gujranwala in her car when she was forced to stop at the Gujjarpura section of the motorway after running out of fuel at around 1:30 am.

    She immediately called a relative and sent him her location. He asked her to also dial the Motorway Police helpline 130 but she was reportedly refused help.

    In the meantime, two robbers approached the car, broke the window and took the woman and her children to nearby bushes where they raped her repeatedly in front of the children. They also snatched her purse that had cash around Rs100,000, one bracelet, car registration and three ATM cards. 

    The Gujjarpura police have registered a case, while motorway police spokesperson said they had not been able to take action as the incident did not occur in the limits of Motorway Police.

    The authorities’ failure to protect the masses has drawn a strong reaction from the public as countrywide protests demand that justice is served at the earliest.

  • Protection centres for transgenders to be completed by end of the year

    Protection centres for transgenders to be completed by end of the year

    Protection centres for Pakistan’s transgender community will reportedly be finalised by the end of this year, the National Assembly was informed during a discussion on the harassment of the community across the country.

    Parliamentary Secretary for Human Rights Lal Chand Malhi said this was a devolved subject and three incidents of violence against the transgender community have been reported in the federal capital alone in the last three years.

    He said these were murder cases and “arrests have been made and strict action has been taken against the culprits, as all are equal citizens”.

    But PTI lawmaker Asma Qadeer said that nine cases have been reported in nine months expressing conflict about the figures. However, she did not mention the city.

    “Transgender people who demand alms at traffic signals are not only harassed by the general public but also by the beggar mafia. You are saying that transgender people have equal rights, but the fact is that they are not allowed to be buried in the graveyards of the general public, they are denied admission in hospitals, etc,” she said.

    Another ruling party lawmaker, Zille Huma said that movements must be run in the media and on social media for the protection of transgender people, adding that seats should also be allocated for transgender people in vocational institutes.

    As per reports, Pakistan’s transgender population is currently 10,400.

    The National Assembly had passed the landmark Transgender Persons (Protection of Rights) Bill in 2017, which enables trans people to be recognised as they perceive themselves and register with the government institutions as transgenders. It also gives them basic rights such as having driver’s licenses and passports.

  • KYA BOLA? (Aug 11): ‘Usman Buzdar ki tabdeeli’, ‘Wazire azam k ladlay totay’, ‘National Assembly mein classroom wali harkatein’

    KYA BOLA? (Aug 11): ‘Usman Buzdar ki tabdeeli’, ‘Wazire azam k ladlay totay’, ‘National Assembly mein classroom wali harkatein’

    Following are some snippets that stood out from Urdu newspapers on August 11, 2020, which The Current takes no responsibility for.

    ‘Usman Buzdar Ki Tabdeeli’

    It has been reported by Daily Jang that senior journalist and analyst Suhail Warraich has said, “Imran Khan k paas Usman Buzdar ko tabdeel krnay k ilawa koi option nahi.”

    His remarks come at a time when rumours regarding the removal of Punjab chief minister (CM) have gone rife yet again.

    ‘Wazire Azam K Ladlay Totay‘

    In his column, Suhail Warraich has said, “Special assistant to prime minister mein aksar tadaad inn ladlay toton ki hai jo Tehreek-e-Insaf ki siyasi jad-o-jehad mein shaamil naa thay aur naa he unhon ney koi qurbaani di… iss ka bawajood qaabina ka hisa ban bethay… parlimaan k log faisla saazi mein shareek nahi hain magar yeh ghair muntakhib eham tareen mulki faislon mein shareek hotay hain jo k sarasar ghalat riwayat hai.”

    ‘National Assembly Mein Classroom Wali Harkatein’

    According to Daily Jang, PML-N leader and former National Assembly speaker Sardar Ayaz Sadiq has said all lawmakers must play their role in improving the environment of the assembly. “My grandchildren told me, ‘Aap log jo kuch assembly mein kartay ho, hum school k classroom mein kr sakty hain’.”

  • PTI leader seeks blasphemy case against Khawaja Asif for stressing equal rights for minorities

    PTI leader seeks blasphemy case against Khawaja Asif for stressing equal rights for minorities

    A local leader of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) from Narowal has filed a complaint seeking registration of a blasphemy case against Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) stalwart Khawaja Asif, who has been accused of “speaking against Islam” on the floor of the National Assembly (NA).

    Asif, while speaking on a point of order last week, had said that a “planned campaign against minorities” was being run on social media in retaliation to the Indian atrocities against Muslims in occupied Kashmir. “If minorities don’t feel safe in Pakistan then it is a matter of shame for us. It is our responsibility to protect their places of worship,” he had said while claiming that some objectionable caricatures had been made on social media targeting the minorities.

    He had also discussed the construction of Islamabad’s first Hindu temple, which has for now been halted, leading to a debate in the Lower House.

    “His words are against the teachings of the Holy Quran and Sunnah, and are tantamount to blasphemy against Islam,” Advocate Qamar Riaz stated in his complaint to Zafarwal police against Asif, whom the complainant claims said that no religion was superior to the other.

    “This is a grave crime according to the Shariah, in which he [Asif] has declared Muslims and infidels equal,” Riaz stated.

    The PTI leader quoted a few verses from the Holy Quran in his application too. “Asif committed blasphemy in the light of those verses and hurt the sentiments of all Muslims,” he said, requesting the police to register a case against the PML-N lawmaker.

    According to reports, the police have not yet registered a case and orders from Narowal DPO Zulfiqar Ahmed are awaited.

    Meanwhile, Federal Minister for Science & Technology Fawad Chaudhry has supported the stance of Khawaja Asif regarding construction of temple in Islamabad, saying that Pakistan’s constitution guarantees equal freedom to all religions.

    “Those who are issuing Fatwas on Khawaja Asif’s statement are projecting the thinking of Indian extremists and [Indian Prime Minister] Modi, which needs to be rejected outright,” he said.

  • VIDEO: PPP leader tries to hit Murad Saeed with headphones in National Assembly

    In yet another unusual occurrence in the National Assembly, Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) leader Shazia Soomro on Thursday tossed her headphones towards Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leader and Federal Minister for Communication and Postal Services Murad Saeed as the latter read out the confessional statement of Lyari gang war kingpin Uzair Baloch, who was allegedly affiliated with the PPP.

    As per the details, the minister, during the session of the Lower House, delivered a speech on the joint investigation team (JIT) report related to criminal gang war leader Baloch. In its response, Soomro attempted to hit him with her headphones but missed.

    WATCH VIDEO:

    https://twitter.com/Khaista90/status/1281153858522288128

    Earlier, while addressing the assembly, Saeed read out the confessional statement and said the Lyari gang war kingpin harassed people around Bilawal House and vacated 40 houses.

    “Uzair Baloch used three police officers and a mobile phone in a murder,” he said, adding that Baloch had confessed that extorted money, as well as that obtained through other illegal means, was transferred to former president Asif Ali Zardari and his sister Faryal Talpur.

    Earlier, the Sindh government made public the JIT reports on infamous Lyari gang war leader Baloch, Baldia Factory tragedy and Nisar Morai.

    JIT report of Lyari gang war leader Uzair Baloch consists of 36 pages that include the names of dozens of accomplices, including Ahkhana, Habib Jan, Habib Hassan, Saif Ali and Noor Mohammad. According to the report, Baloch has also confessed to killing 198 people.

  • ‘Jab baarish aata hai tou paani aata hai’: Twitter calls Imran out for mimicking Bilawal in NA

    ‘Jab baarish aata hai tou paani aata hai’: Twitter calls Imran out for mimicking Bilawal in NA

    Prime Minister (PM) Imran Khan has been called out by Twitterati for once again mimicking Pakistan People’ Party (PPP) chief Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari, this time on the floor of the National Assembly (NA).

    “When you’re made the chairperson of a political party without struggle, you say things like ‘jab baarish aata hai tou paani aata hai (more water comes when it rains more)’,” the leader of the house said during another rare appearance in the NA.

    WATCH VIDEO:

    The remarks weren’t very well received by Twitterati…

    This, however, was not the first time that PM Imran made fun of Bilawal’s “rain theory”.

    Addressing the inauguration ceremony of the Havelian-Thakot motorway under the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) in November last year, he had mimicked Bilawal and said that his theory had startled scientists across the globe.

    “Bilwal has startled scientists worldwide by saying ‘jab barish hoti hai to pani ata hai’ (water pours when it rains). But Einstein rolled over in his grave when he [Bilawal] went on to say ‘Jab ziada barish hota hai to ziada pani ata hai’ (more water comes when it rains more),” the premier had quipped.

    Bilawal had made the statement while trying to explain urban flooding in Karachi amid heavy rains.

  • VIDEO: Khawaja Asif, Fawad Chaudhry trade barbs in National Assembly

    VIDEO: Khawaja Asif, Fawad Chaudhry trade barbs in National Assembly

    The National Assembly (NA) on Monday approved the federal budget for the fiscal year 2020-21. The session, however, was yet again marred by an altercation, this time between Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) leader Khawaja Asif and Federal Minister for Science and Technology Fawad Chaudhry.

    “Sir, bass vee kar deo [sir, please stop]” Fawad was heard as saying as Asif addressed the Lower House of the parliament.

    To this, Asif replied, “Tuvaaday mutalak mai aisiyaan aisiyaan gallaan karaanga, Khuda di qasam tavanu jagaah nayi labnni ais hall ich [I will say such things about you that you will not find a place in this hall].”

    Asif went on to say that for the past few days, Fawad had been “involved in some activities”, to which the federal minister said the PML-N leader would not “find any space in Sialkot — Asif’s hometown — either” and asked him to apologise for his remarks.

    NA Speaker Asad Qaiser kept on asking both the lawmakers to stop.

    “No cross talk please… sit down please. Please, Fawad Sahib. Take a seat. Khawaja Sahib, continue please.”

    “No, how can you let this happen? How can one person say anything and not apologise? How dare he? He must apologise!” Fawad said.

    WATCH VIDEO:

    Speaking to The Current, Fawad said he was discussing something with Deputy Speaker Qasim Suri.

    “Khawaja Asif got upset because we were not paying attention to his speech. Then he made up some lies about me, for which I asked him to apologise.”

  • I’m always right…

    I’m always right…

    “Imran Khan’s recent Freudian slip reveals a lot.”

    Two interesting things happened recently in the chaotic drama that is Pakistani politics: one is that the prime minister (PM) actually deigned to show up in the parliament, and the second is that he referred to al-Qaeda founder Osama bin Laden as a “shaheed [martyr]” during his speech on the floor of the National Assembly.  

    Imran Khan, speaking in the context of his usual “the world has mistreated Pakistan” narrative, referred to the Abottabad raid saying, “One thing that happened was that the Americans came and killed Osama Bin Laden in Abbottabad… martyred him” — or in Urdu, “Abbottabad may aa kr maar diya… shaheed kar diya.” People picked up on this quickly and social media erupted in astonishment and dismay.

    This was then followed by the very amusing attempts of IK apologists to clarify what “he actually meant”. One of his advisors attempted to fudge the facts by tweeting that the PM “twice used the word  ‘killed’ for OBL” and that all the ensuing hoo-ha was actually a conspiracy “with clear attempt to make his remarks controversial unnecessarily”.

    But the fact is that his remark is controversial. His slip of tongue reflects possibly his true political leanings and seems to be the logical continuation of the position he has taken on various issues over the years.

    “He [Imran] is the man who despite (or maybe because of ) his elitist Lahori upbringing and western education, has always taken very right-wing and regressive political positions.”

    He is the man who tried to portray the Taliban to western media as “misunderstood freedom fighters”, who was in favour of “negotiating” with militants, and who advocated for them being allowed to open an office — as if to suggest that they were a serious political group rather than a group of armed religious extremists responsible for the bloody attacks and bombings that resulted in the killing of thousands of Pakistanis (civilians, uniformed personnel, school children, teachers).

    He is also the man who despite (or maybe because of ) his elitist Lahori upbringing and western education, has always taken very right-wing and regressive political positions. After his return to Pakistan, he became something of a born-again Muslim and also something of a born-again Pashtun, and his closest political allies over the decades have been right-wing and religious parties.

    Apart from official spokespersons trying to clarify and defend the PM’s choice of words, there were also several others, including some non-official ones like the TV news anchor who describes himself on Twitter not as a ‘columnist’ but as a ‘prominent columnist.’ This gentleman tweeted repeatedly in defence of the great leader and he came out with a few gems about the leader’s slip of tongue, even bringing puja, idols and Modi into the conversation! He also remarked that “the discussion was not about OBL” but about how IK’s government “has improved communication and engagement with the US & the world”.

    The way the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) government has reacted to this matter, illustrates both the way that it functions as well as the way in which Imran himself conducts his politics. For one thing, IK does not seem to believe in any sort of political dialogue of any kind of engagement that might lead to consensus.

    “‘I am right’ could easily be his motto in life (inching even further towards the far right). You can call this either immense self-belief or insufferable arrogance…”

    His approach seems to be that when he talks, everybody else should listen. His speeches are a mixture of pseudo-Islamic nationalism and political self-righteousness, peppered with abuse for opposition members. His contempt for parliament is evinced by his poor attendance record as well as the fact that he has not bothered to do any legislative work in parliament or do anything on any committees or in any other way be part of the community of parliamentarians. But when he talks, people should listen, and people who disagree with him are wrong.

    “I am right” could easily be his motto in life (inching even further towards the far right). You can call this either immense self-belief or insufferable arrogance — but the problem with this tendency is that it is often an impediment in the process of learning and developing.  Which raises the question that: after 22 years in the field has Imran Khan evolved politically? Will he ever be able to?

    The answer to this question is unclear but it is a sad fact that a man who so many Pakistanis wished so well because he was a national cricket hero (and eye candy) has become a divisive, rude and arrogant leader. He has some good ideas generally perhaps and also has the persistence to keep going, but the “I am right” mantra will only get you so far in life.

  • Imran reminded of Pakistanis and armed forces’ sacrifices as he calls Osama bin Laden a ‘martyr’

    Imran reminded of Pakistanis and armed forces’ sacrifices as he calls Osama bin Laden a ‘martyr’

    Prime Minister (PM) Imran Khan’s words have yet again landed him in crosshairs of the general public as well as opposition leaders, who are training guns at him for calling notorious terrorist and al-Qaeda chief Osama bin Laden a “martyr”.

    Making a rare appearance in the National Assembly (NA), Imran on Thursday took the floor and among other things, elaborated how Pakistan had been humiliated despite having sacrificed lives in the war against terrorism.

    “The way we helped America in the war on terror and the humiliation that my country had to face. I don’t think there has ever been any other country that supported war on terror and had to face criticism from them. If they are not successful in Afghanistan, Pakistan is held responsible for that too,” he said.

    The premier went on to add that the United States (US) “martyred” bin Laden in Abbottabad.

    “Pakistanis were deeply embarrassed when Americans killed Osama bin Laden in Abbottabad. Shaheed kar diya [was martyred]. But what happened after that? The entire world hurled abuses at us. Our ally [the US] entered our country and killed someone without even telling us. It was a big humiliation,” he said before going on to describe the drone attacks as the second set of incidents that embarrassed the country.

    WATCH VIDEO:

    https://twitter.com/ventdeInde/status/1276144510121148417

    Osama bin Laden was killed in a military operation by US Navy Seals in 2011 in Abbottabad — a few kilometres away from the Pakistan Military Academy (PMA) — and ended a nearly 10-year search for bin Laden, following his role in the 9/11 attacks on the US.

    “Whose side are you on? The head of al-Qaeda, a terrorist organisation, who died in Abbottabad or the 70 to 80 thousand Pakistani civilians and military men who laid down their lives in the war on terror?” Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) leader and former Sindh governor Muhammad Zubair said while reacting to Imran’s statement.

    He, however, wasn’t the only one the premier’s speech attracted a strong reaction from. Here’s what Twitterati have to say:

    Meanwhile, a viral clip showed former foreign minister Khawaja Asif also calling Imran out in his speech on the floor of the Lower House.

    Addressing the NA, he reminded the premier that Osama bin Laden was responsible for instability in the region, especially Pakistan, and was nothing but a terrorist.

  • PTI caught off-guard as allied BNP-M quits coalition govt

    PTI caught off-guard as allied BNP-M quits coalition govt

    The Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) government appeared to be caught off-guard as the Balochistan National Party-Mengal (BNP-M), one of the eight political parties who either support the federal government or are a part of the ruling coalition, on Wednesday announced to end its alliance with the Imran Khan government.

    Speaking on the floor of the National Assembly (NA) during a session, party President Sardar Akhtar Mengal officially announced that his party was separating itself from the government. “We will stay in parliament and will keep talking about issues,” he said.

    The two parties had signed a six-point memorandum of understanding (MoU) in August 2018 for an alliance in centre. The six points included recovery of missing persons, implementation of the National Action Plan (NAP), implementation of six per cent quota for Balochistan in the federal government, immediate repatriation of Afghan refugees and the construction of dams in the province to resolve the acute water crisis.

    Mengal reminded the House that his party had two agreements with the ruling party, adding that it was the Imran Khan-led party which had come to him for an alliance, not the BNP-M which went to Bani Gala — the personal residence of PM Imran.

    “The first agreement was done on August 8, 2018 and signed by Shah Mahmood Qureshi, Jahangir Tareen and Yar Muhammad Rind,” recalled Mengal. 

    He added that his party had demanded that the missing persons issue be resolved and the National Action Plan be implemented in letter and spirit in the agreement.

    “Can someone tell us if there was anything unconstitutional in both these demands? Why were they not implemented?” asked the lawmaker from Balochistan. 

    He regretted that the ruling party’s mindset was “the same one running in the country since 1948”.

    “We waited for two years for the implementation of the agreement; we are ready to [wait] further, but start something,” appealed the nationalist leader. 

    He added that if the government wishes to take his province along, then they should implement their agreements with BNP-M.

    While highlighting his grievances in the assembly, the lawmaker stated that the foundations for the road from Chaman to Karachi were laid in 1973, and it has killed 4,500 in road accidents. He added that instead of giving them a six-lane road, the government gave them only a two-lane road.

    The BNP-M leader also claimed that “no one can find justice in this country” and that “justice is being sold”. 

    While hitting out at the government, he noted that Pakistan Steel Mills were being privatised and thousands were being unemployed.

    “The disappointing thing is that no one here is ready to listen to their [the laid off workers’] demands,” said Mengal. He added that if the demands could not be met, then they should at least be noted.

    “It has become a tradition here that the last government is held responsible for everything,” said Mengal.

    The alliance with the PTI was only in the centre, while the BNP-M’s alliance with the Jamiat Ulemae Islam-Fazl (JUI-F) in Balochis­tan continues at the provincial level.

    The coalition government has been struggling over “broken promises” for quite some time now as the Pakistan Muslim League (PML) and the Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan (MQM-P) also do not seem much satisfied with the ruling PTI’s performance.

    Wednesday’s development and its consequences could spell trouble for PM Imran who was elected as the leader of the house with a thin majority.