Tag: Shehbaz Sharif

  • National security briefing

    National security briefing

    Speaker National Assembly (NA) Asad Qaiser summoned a session of the Parliamentary Committee on National Security on July1. Army chief and heads of security institutions participated in the meeting. Politicians and legislators were given an in-depth briefing on Kashmir, Afghanistan, and internal security challenges.

    Leader of the Opposition Shehbaz Sharif, Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) Chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari, Mohsin Dawar, Yousaf Raza Gillani, Shahid Khaqan Abbasi, Mustafa Nawaz Khokhar and many others were part of the in-camera briefing.

    However, Prime Minister Imran Khan did not attend the meeting. Government spokespersons said that PM Khan was going to attend the meeting but Speaker Asad Qaiser conveyed to him that Shehbaz Sharif would not attend the briefing if Khan attended it. However, Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) leaders have denied this. But NA Secretariat spokesperson also clarified that PM Imran Khan was always willing to attend the meeting but the only reason for not attending the meeting was reservations conveyed to the Assembly secretariat by some Opposition leaders.

    First of all, why did the Opposition ask the PM not to attend the meeting? Some say that the message by Shehbaz Sharif was miscommunicated. Well, the PML-N should clarify what message was conveyed, if any, and why.

    Sharif wanted to sign a Charter of Economy in order to improve Pakistan’s economy so why would he not allow PM Khan to attend such a meeting. Prime Minister Imran Khan does not need Mr Sharif’s permission or anyone else’s to attend an important parliamentary meeting.

    Secondly, even if Shehbaz Sharif had sent this message, why did the prime minister give in? This meeting was extremely important in light of the US withdrawal from Afghanistan and its consequences for Pakistan. All political leadership should have been there, including the PM, so as to come to a national consensus on these security issues. When has the prime minister ever listened to the Opposition before that he chose to finally pay heed to them now?

    Thirdly, Speaker NA Asad Qaiser was the convenor of the meeting. Why did he discourage the prime minister from attending such an important and sensitive meeting.

    Our leadership should not let their political differences come in the way when it comes to national security issues. Such differences should be limited to electoral politics, not on issues that have an impact on the future of the country. We hope that the next time there is such a meeting, or when issues related to the country’s future are discussed, all leaders would sit on the same table and build a national consensus.

  • ‘Shehbaz said if PM was at security briefing, he would not attend’: Fawad Chaudhry

    Minister for Information Fawad Chaudhry during an appearance on Geo News’ morning show ‘Geo Pakistan’ revealed that the prime minister’s absence from the military and intelligence leadership’s briefing on national security, Afghanistan, and Kashmir to parliamentary leaders was to accommodate the Leader of Opposition, Shehbaz Sharif.

    “The prime minister was scheduled to attend the national security huddle, but the Opposition leader [Shehbaz Sharif] had conveyed to the Speaker [National Assembly] that if [PM Imran Khan] came to the briefing, he would not attend,” said Fawad.

    Fawad added that the government hopes and prays that there is a peaceful transfer of power in Afghanistan.

    “We are pushing for negotiations in Afghanistan,” he said.

    “There are three million Afghan nationals in Pakistan. If another three million are pushed in, it will put a lot of pressure on our economy,” he said.

    “It won’t be so easy for the Taliban to take over the government,” Chaudhry said on the prospects for peace in the war-torn neighbour. “We want that the Afghan Taliban and the Ghani government negotiate [a way out].”

    “We are only concerned when India uses Afghan territories against us,” he added. “[Meanwhile], we will continue to try and mediate between the Afghan Taliban and the Ghani government.”

    However, Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) spokesperson Marriyum Aurangzeb said that Shehbaz Sharif did not send any message to anyone.

    “Fawad Chaudhry is a propaganda machine, the meeting was called by the Speaker. How could Shehba Sharif stop him [from inviting someone]? Shehbaz Sharif did not send him any message,” tweeted Marriyum Aurangzeb.

    PML-N spokesperson further said that if there is any official correspondence of Shehbaz Sharif or his office regarding this matter, it should be made public.

  • DG ISI to brief lawmakers on Kashmir, Afghanistan, and security challenges

    DG ISI to brief lawmakers on Kashmir, Afghanistan, and security challenges

    “A meeting of the National Security Committee will be held today (Thursday). Army chief and heads of security institutions will participate in the meeting. A briefing on Kashmir, Afghanistan and internal security challenges will be discussed,” Minister for Information and Broadcasting Fawad Chaudhry tweeted on Thursday.

    Speaker National Assembly (NA) Asad Qaiser had summoned a session of the Parliamentary Committee on National Security on July 1 for an in-camera briefing on the latest regional situation in light of the US withdrawal from Afghanistan. Director-General of the Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) Lieutenant General Faiz Hameed will brief the lawmakers.

    Leader of the Opposition in NA Shehbaz Sharif, Leader of the Opposition in the Senate Yousaf Raza Gillani, Pakistan People’s Party Chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari, and other lawmakers will attend the meeting. According to reports, Interior Minister Sheikh Rasheed, Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi, and Defence Minister Pervez Khattak will also be part of the in-camera meeting from the government’s side. Senate Chairman Sadiq Sanjrani will also attend the meeting as well as other parliamentarians.

    Prime Minister Imran Khan will not attend the briefing.

    Interior Minister Sheikh Rasheed said that Pakistan’s politics will change after today’s in-camera briefing on the situation in Afghanistan and other security issues. He said it will now centre on national security.

  • FY22 Budget passes: Did the Opposition lie?

    FY22 Budget passes: Did the Opposition lie?

    The National Assembly (NA) on Tuesday passed the budget for the new fiscal year with majority vote amidst the Opposition’s hollow claims of giving the government a tough time.

    Prime Minister Imran Khan was present for today’s session, while former president Asif Ali Zardari and Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) Chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari were also in attendance.

    The Finance Bill 2021-22 was discussed clause by clause in the House. Amendments proposed by treasury members were accepted while those proposed by the Opposition members were rejected.

    After the clause by clause reading was completed, a voice vote was conducted by the NA Speaker and the budget was passed.

    The Opposition did not challenge the voice vote since they did not have the required numbers.

    There were 172 votes in favour of the Finance Bill while 138 votes were against it. Meanwhile, senior Journalist, Hamid Mir claims that the total strength of the Opposition members in NA is 163 members. 25 opposition members were not present in the NA today,12 were from Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) and13 from other opposition parties.

    Earlier this month, Leader of the Opposition in the National Assembly Shehbaz Sharif and Bilawal Bhutto had rejected the budget and vowed to give a tough time to the government inside the parliament.

  • In-camera briefing for lawmakers on Afghanistan, national security

    In-camera briefing for lawmakers on Afghanistan, national security

    Speaker National Assembly (NA) Asad Qaiser has summoned a session of the Parliamentary Committee on National Security on July 1 at 3pm for a briefing on the latest regional situation in light of the US withdrawal from Afghanistan.

    Speaker Asad Qaiser will chair the in-camera meeting. The meeting will discuss the situation in Afghanistan and its impact on Pakistan. Leader of the Opposition in NA Shehbaz Sharif, Pakistan People’s Party Chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari and other lawmakers will attend the meeting. Interior Minister Sheikh Rasheed, Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi and Defence Minister Pervez Khattak will also be part of the in-camera meeting from the government’s side. Senate Chairman Sadiq Sanjrani will also attend the meeting as well as other parliamentarians.

    Bilawal Bhutto tweeted that he had demanded on the floor of the house that the parliament be briefed on the Afghanistan situation by the relevant departments and institutions. “We welcome Speakers decision and will participate in NSC committee meeting on the topic.”

  • Bilawal congratulates PM for increasing the population of donkeys in the country

    Bilawal congratulates PM for increasing the population of donkeys in the country

    Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) Chairperson Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari criticised the government on Friday saying that as per the economic survey 2021, if nothing else, the population of donkeys has increased during the regime of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) in the country, for which Prime Minister Imran Khan’s policies must be lauded. 

    Addressing the National Assembly (NA) a day after Leader of the Opposition Shehbaz Sharif delivered his budget speech, Bilawal slammed the government for presenting a budget that was a “pack of lies”.

    PPP chairperson reprimanded the government for abandoning the country’s population during these unprecedented times, saying that the ruling PTI could never realise the problems of a common man.

    Bilawal went on to add that people, who were suffering because of the inflation brought on by Khan’s government, were well aware that the claim of four per cent economic growth was nothing but a lie.

    He added that the nation might still have forgiven the government had they not “abandoned the people so ruthlessly amid these difficult times”.

    “We introduced the revolutionary Benazir Income Support Programme (BISP) but this government, on the other hand, persistently talks about the Ehsaas [programme], when you have no realistion [of the people’s predicament].”

    He said that people will never forgive the government for further pushing them below the poverty line.

    Bilawal said that if the country has seen economic growth, as claimed by the PTI-led government, then why does it have to “beg before the International Monetary Fund (IMF)?”

    “If the economy has significantly improved, then the government should immediately opt out of the IMF’s deal,” he said.

    Pointing out that the PPP had increased salaries multiple times and raised pensions, he said the PTI had not raised salaries in the last two years even though the entire world was struggling in the face of the Covid-19 pandemic and every Pakistani was facing financial troubles.

    The PPP chairperson recalled that the PTI had reached an agreement with government workers on raising their salaries, adding that the insufficient hike in their salaries was an act of deception by the government.

    As Minister for Energy Hammad Azhar began his speech in response to Bilawal’s criticism, Shehbaz began making his way out of the assembly, prompting the minister to challenge him to stay and hear him out.

    “If you are not cowards then remain in your seats and listen to what I have to say,” said Azhar.

    “If you have the strength to hear the truth, then listen to what I have to say,” Azhar said but the PML-N president did not react and exited the house.

    https://twitter.com/trendinpk/status/1405788144121921538

    Azhar began his speech by hitting back at Bilawal, saying, “Those who have never worked a day in their life or taken any responsibility are telling us how to run the economy and the country.”

    Mocking the way Bilawal kept switching between English and Urdu during his speech, Hammad Azhar implied that oratory skills are not enough to remove the stains of corruption from someone’s character.

    “They said to us that this is a government of ‘puppets’. Do they want a government of convicts? Do they want a government in which people are known not by their names but by the dirtiest scandals in the history of this country?”

    He said that the PTI had come into power after being elected, adding that it had not “threatened or bribed its way into government”.

    Azhar said some people in the Opposition say that despite corruption, there is also progressive work being done. “If corruption had anything to do with development, Sindh would have progressed beyond California.”

    If someone wants to see the destruction that corruption brings, then go and look at the state of Sindh, the minister said. “You will see how corrupt rulers ruin the lives and the futures of people. Sindh is a living example of this.”

  • Shehbaz Sharif finally delivers his speech in NA, uninterrupted

    Shehbaz Sharif finally delivers his speech in NA, uninterrupted

    Leader of the Opposition in the National Assembly (NA) Shehbaz Sharif on Thursday finally delivered his speech in the Lower House after three days of chaotic behaviour by lawmakers.

    Speaking on the floor of the NA today, the Opposition leader said all of the lawmakers present in the assembly were elected by 220 million Pakistanis and they were responsible for changing the nation’s future for the better.

    There was complete silence in the house during Shehbaz Sharif’s speech, who lashed out at the government and Prime Minister Imran Khan for “ruining lives of Pakistanis”

    He said that in the last three years, many taxes were imposed by the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) government because of which the “poor man’s meals have been halved.” Hunger and hopelessness had been created in the country because of previous budgets, he said, adding that Budget 2021-2022 would further increase inflation and the poor would suffer more, reports Dawn.

    The Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) leader pointed out that there was a lack of trust among provinces and between the provinces and the federal government, claiming that such differences have never been seen before.

    “If only Punjab progresses and the rest of Pakistan does not, then it is not progress,” stressed Shehbaz.

    Shehbaz also criticised the PTI government’s response to the Covid-19 pandemic, saying “the entire Opposition termed Covid as a ‘national emergency’ which [they and the government] would tackle together after setting aside our differences.”

    He recalled that National Assembly Speaker Asad Qaiser had then called a conference which was also attended by Prime Minister Imran Khan. “We were all [united] on this but the prime minister left after his speech. Was there something more important than Covid?”

    “Can any nation remain alive like this with an atomic bomb on the one hand and a begging bowl on the other?” he asked.

    He stressed that the country would have to generate resources. “If we want to end dictation, then we will have to break the begging bowl.”

    Shehbaz said that while the government should help in setting up langars (soup kitchens), but its “real work” was policy-making and making sure that those who had to go to the soup kitchens were able to stand on their feet.

    “The aim is not to raise an army of beggars but an army of doers and nation builders. If agriculture and industry are destroyed and poverty and unemployment are taken forward, then nations do not progress,” he said. This was the reason that after the latest budget, people were “screaming that their pockets are empty and [asking] how to feed their children”, he added.

    Talking about Finance Minister Shaukat Tarin’s speech in the NA last week, Shehbaz recalled that “the minister said Pakistan was a very successful crop-producing country but in the very next breath he said that Pakistan had become a food importer.”

    Earlier today, Defence Minister Pervez Khattak said the government and the Opposition had come to an agreement to ensure the smooth running of National Assembly sessions.

    Speaking to the media in Islamabad alongside Information Minister Fawad Chaudhry, Khattak said a “consensus” was reached in a meeting with the Opposition and a proposal was devised, which would be elaborated upon by Qaiser later today.

    The NA was subject to disruption this week amid repeated confrontations between the treasury and Opposition benches during the budget session.

  • Shehbaz Sharif’s third try at budget speech a fail

    Shehbaz Sharif’s third try at budget speech a fail

    National Assembly (NA) Speaker Asad Qaiser adjourned the NA session minutes after it started on Wednesday as the treasury members continued their protest for the third consecutive day to disrupt Leader of the Opposition Shehbaz Sharif’s budget speech.

    Shehbaz, surrounded by sergeants, tried to deliver his speech amid sloganeering but was cut short.

    Meanwhile, Qaiser repeatedly called on the parliamentarians to be seated but eventually adjourned the session after an object was thrown at the speaker’s dais.

    “I will not conduct this House (NA) until both the government and the Opposition [settle their matters],” said Qaiser before walking out, adjourning the session till tomorrow (Thursday).

    Shehbaz, during his speech, condemned yesterday’s incident and said it was Qaiser’s duty to maintain the sanctity of the House and run it in accordance with the law.

    “I am saddened by your helplessness,” he said, alleging that the behaviour of treasury members had been authorised by Prime Minister Imran Khan himself.

    “It was your duty to stop this,” added Shehbaz.

    Federal Minister for Planning, Development, and Special Initiatives Asad Umar claimed in a tweet that the Opposition had attacked him within minutes when the session started. He added that Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) lawmaker Muhammad Akram Cheema was also injured by a bottle thrown at him.

    “Worried by the economic improvement and popular budget, the opposition wants to run away from discussion on the budget in the House by engaging in confrontation,” added Asad.

    Spokesperson for the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) Marriyum Aurangzeb said that the Opposition was again insulted by the government benches.

    “They [government] want to attack the parliament and the system. They want to attack the Speaker’s seat,” added Marriyum.

  • No-confidence motion to be moved against NA Speaker Asad Qaiser

    No-confidence motion to be moved against NA Speaker Asad Qaiser

    The Opposition has decided to jointly move a no-confidence motion against National Assembly (NA) Speaker Asad Qaiser, after two days of ruckus in the National Assembly.

    The decision of tabling a no-confidence motion against Qaiser was reached when Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) President Shehbaz Sharif and Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) Chairman Bilawal Bhutto met in the NA earlier today to discuss the way forward after yesterday’s session.

    In this regard, the joint Opposition leaders also agreed to form a committee that would be tasked with tabling the motion. However, the names of its members are under consideration.

    The Opposition members said that Tuesday’s session was the darkest day in the history of democracy, with the Speaker failing to fulfil his constitutional, legal, democratic, and parliamentary responsibilities.

    “Asad Qaiser is not qualified to fulfill this duty,” said one of the Opposition members.

    The Opposition demanded that a parliamentary committee be established with equal representation from treasury and Opposition benches to probe the ruckus that had transpired in parliament.

  • Seven lawmakers banned from entering National Assembly

    Seven lawmakers banned from entering National Assembly

    National Assembly (NA) Speaker Asad Qaiser has banned the entry of seven lawmakers into the Parliament House over the use of foul language during the budget speech of Opposition Leader Shehbaz Sharif.

    The order released by Asad Qaiser stated that, on June 14 and 15, 2021 during the speech of Shehbaz on Budget 2021-22, “the conduct of seven lawmakers was grossly disorderly as they violated the rules despite repeated direction of the Chair, they interrupted proceedings of the House.”

    The seven lawmakers are Ali Gohar Khan Baloch (PML-N), Chaudhry Hamid Hameed (PML-N), Sheikh Rohale Asghar (PML-N), Faheem Khan (PTI), Abdul Majeed Khan (PTI), Ali Nawaz Awan (PTI), and Syed Agha Rafiullah (PPP).

    “These members are required not to enter into the precincts of the Parliament House till further orders,” said the notification.

    Asad Qaiser also said that the “non-parliamentary attitude adopted by members from the government and the Opposition benches and objectionable language used by them is condemnable and disappointing”.