The National Assembly passed a unanimous resolution condemning Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf Chairman Imran Khan and Awami Muslim League chief Sheikh Rasheed’s anti-Parliament remarks. The resolution, presented by federal minister Baleegh-ur-Rehman, stated that Imran and Rashid’s verbal onslaught on the parliament was akin to disrespecting the nation. The resolution states that the parliament is a department of democracy, with which the country’s stability and prosperity are tied up. During the session, Foreign Minister Khawaja Asif and Opposition Leader Khursheed Shah vehemently lashed out at some members of Wednesday’s joint opposition rally for their verbal attack on the Parliament. Khawaja Asif said that all limits were crossed in the joint opposition rally. He said that the leaders should be brought before a parliamentary committee of National Assembly. Khawaja Muhammad Asif was furious over the remarks of the opposition parties for parliament during the Lahore protest. He called for summoning the opposition leaders to the parliament and demanded that they be arrested and brought to the parliament if they wouldn’t come otherwise.
Asif said that the opposition had crossed all limits last night. He said that the opposition leaders clearly seemed frustrated after they had failed to pull the masses to their protest. Opposition Leader Khursheed Shah agreed with Khawaja Asif, saying that he couldn’t even repeat the words used for the parliament by certain leaders in the Lahore protest. The speeches by the senior parliamentarians failed to move Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf chairman Imran Khan who defended his ‘laanath on parliament’, saying in a series of tweets today that parliament deserved the curses after having allowed a person to head a political party despite being disqualified by the apex court.
The protest rally, led by Pakistan Awami Tehreek, had concluded peacefully here at Mall Road after a round of heated speeches by various political leaders. The rally brought a number of opposition parties together including two big forces – Pakistan People’s Party and the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf – at one stage. However, co-chairperson PPP Asif Ali Zardari and chairman PTI Imran Khan addressed the rally in separate sessions and they did not face each other. It is unfortunate that a leader of a major political party and some others are using very derogatory language against parliament. Parliament being a supreme institution of the state must be given due respect and all political leaders should use their language carefully while criticizing its role. Parliament should take tough action against those who breach its privilege and set a precedent.
