Opposition moves privilege motion against PM’s ‘untruthful’ speech in NA

Says PM Nawaz’s May 2016 speech in Parliament is in sheer contrast of his counsel’s statement in SC

ISLAMABAD: Opposition parties on Thursday moved a privilege motion in the National Assembly against Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif’s ‘untruthful’ speech on the floor of the House.

The privilege motion, which was submitted by Leader of the Opposition Syed Khursheed Shah, referred to a plea by the prime minister’s counsel in the Supreme Court in the ongoing Panamagate case.

“The plea taken by the prime minister’s lawyer in SC on January 16, to do away with PM’s speech delivered in the NA while explaining the trail of funds used to purchase properties in London and elsewhere as mentioned in Panama Papers, using Article 66 as a shield, are an admission that the PM did not tell the truth to the assembly,” it said.

Besides the leader of opposition, the privilege motion has been signed by Shah Mehmood Qureshi, Aftab Sherpao, Naveed Qamar, Shibzada Tariqullah, Tariq Basheer Cheema, Ghulam Ahmed Balour and Sheeren Mazari.



The motion has been submitted over discrepancy in the premier’s statement in the lower House of Parliament and his counsel’s statement in the apex court. “The prime minister while speaking on the floor of NA on May 16, 2016 had explained the trail of funds used to purchase property in one of the most expensive areas of London,” it said and added that the details submitted by the prime minister’s counsel in the top court were “in sheer contrast with the ones stated by the PM.”

It further said the discrepancy in the statements suggest that PM Nawaz willfully deceived the House on the issue which was a “clear case of contempt of the House”. “As per Article 91(6) of the Constitution of Islamic Republic of Pakistan, prime minister and cabinet are collectively responsible to Parliament and have to state the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth.”



Claiming that the premier’s statement was a blatant breach of the privilege of the NA, it demanded the matter to be immediately taken up for discussion and action.