Opposition behind Nawaz only to support democracy, says Aitzaz

Aitzaz says opposition stands behind PML-N government despite its numerous failures to uphold its citizens' rights


Web Desk September 02, 2014

ISLAMABAD: While PTI president Javed Hashmi's speech in Parliament is likely to remain etched in our minds for years to come, the biggest opposition party in the country, Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP), wasn’t far behind when it came to reaffirming its allegiance to the law of the land.

Addressing the joint session of Parliament on Tuesday, oratory master and PPP leader Aitzaz Ahsan exemplified the sacrifices made by the opposition to defend democracy despite the PML-N-led government’s far from perfect first year in government.

“PM Nawaz, we want to assure you that despite the small group that is protesting in the federal capital, we are standing by you,” Ahsan said, adding that all opposition parties were fighting to preserve the Constitution.

“We are supporting you because you support democracy but once this difficult time is over, we will continue criticising your policies,” said the PPP leader.

Aitzaz went on to criticise the government’s handling of the Model Town incident, saying the state failed to uphold its citizens' rights.

During his address, Aitzaz asked the premier to sit and think about who his “real friends” are. “Your ministers don’t take matters seriously,” he said.

“Yesterday, you said you would not resign. You had said the same thing in the past but then you resigned; I hope you will stick to your words this time,” said Aitzaz, referring to Nawaz’s forced resignation in 1993.

“Today, the police are not listening to you due to the discrepancies in your past policies,” said Aitzaz, while defending the ‘legitimate’ concerns of protesters in Islamabad.

“They have a valid point. There was massive rigging in the elections; there is substance in Imran’s claims of corruption,” he asserted.

However, Aitzaz also criticised the protesting parties and said the media has unjustifiably given them (Imran Khan and Dr Tahirul Qadri) too much airtime.

While questioning Imran’s repeated references to similar protests taking place outside 10 Downing Street, the British prime minister’s residence, Aitzaz said: “Where in the world or in which planet do you take stick-wielding, armed protesters carrying cutters and expect not to be stopped.”

“Benazir Bhutto always led the protests from the front; she would put herself in front of baton-holding police,” he added.

COMMENTS (34)

Rawalpindi Kid | 9 years ago | Reply

@kulwaant singh: @Gp65 Perhaps you don't understand something that most Pakistanis know. The current electoral system in Pakistan is rigged and that's how the seasoned politicians keep getting elected time after time despite showing zero performance and corruption to the extreme. In an even less than perfect world that would not happen, except with cheating. They loot the national wealth, then use it to buy and install their police force, judges, election officials, and pay even the poor electorate to win the next election. You say IK should use all the legal means - again a sensible idea in theory, but in practice all the legal means have been fixed and justice delayed and denied. He moved his appeals in the elections commission, the high court, the supreme court, you name it. Nothing has been done because the system has been rigged. Take another example, the Model Town massacre by the very police that was supposed to protect the citizens. Instead they came to protect the gov't of Shehbaz Sharif (no doubt on his orders), and then the rigged system prevented even the first investigation report from having been filed. Only this protest has forced the govt to allow the FIR. The people of Pakistan are thus for a change in this system and unfortunately through normal means there will be no change, bacause the system of corrupt politics ensures the status quo. By the way I am not a PTI supporter.

kulwaant singh | 9 years ago | Reply

@jami: Dear this is not the way to remove the Elected Prime Minister their are many constitutional means Mr. Khan can move the courts, Election Tribunal , suppose the PM resigns and fresh elections are held how he expect that the fresh election by the same Election Commission and the same Government servants will be free and fair, will not be rigged because the same security personnel will be deployed. Mr. IK is a spor.tsman and not a corrupt politician he must educate the people about his policies and priorities make the KPK an example and in the coming elections he will be voted to become the PM

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