Nisar, Aitzaz spat shatters veneer of Parliament's 'unity'

PPP leader Aitzaz Ahsan asks PM Nawaz to reshuffle his cabinet

ISLAMABAD: A war of egos tested recent claims of a 'united' Parliament when allegations made by Interior Minister Chaudhry Nisar against PPP leader and Senator Aitzaz Ahsan led to a heated joint session of Parliament. 

Late last night, Interior Minister Chaudhry Nisar accused Aitzaz  of being a involved in the biggest land mafia in the country and using Benazir Bhutto's name for personal gains, among other things.

Addressing the joint session, Leader of the Opposition in the National Assembly Khursheed Shah implicitly referred to Nisar as a wolf in the guise of a sheep, while asking him to apologise to Parliament and Aitzaz.

“The interior minister is a snake up your sleeve. That man (Nisar) has breathed life into the dying forces which are trying to oust you,” he added, warning the prime minister to be wary of people who bring their leaders at a crossroads.

After Shah’s address, Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif interjected the joint session to issue an apology, while urging the opposition to show magnanimity.

But the premier’s efforts to control heated tempers would go in vain as a furious Aitzaz hit back at Nisar, resulting in an argument between the two on the floor of the house, while other parliamentary leaders tried to calm Nisar and some even approached Khursheed Shah to request Aitzaz to cut short his address.

At one point, Aitzaz threatened to walk out of Parliament, warning that the entire opposition would follow suit.

At one point, Nawaz asked Nisar to sit next to him, while trying to convince him not to respond to Aitzaz. Meanwhile, Defence Minister Khawaja Muhammad Asif, who is reportedly not on speaking terms with Nisar, was a silent spectator for the most part till he walked up to the NA speaker, perhaps asking him to adjourn the proceedings.

Their efforts to defuse the situation, however, failed as Nisar rose up the moment Aitzaz concluded his speech, only to be cut short by the call for Friday prayers.

The premier was seen holding Nisar’s arm towards the end of the session and soon after, the interior minister left the house. The speaker immediately adjourned the proceedings, despite several attempts by AML chief Sheikh Rashid Ahmed to have the floor.

In the lobbies, while leaving the house, a group of PML-N female members were heard thanking God for Nisar not being able to get a chance to speak, knowing very well that a reply would have likely resulted in further escalation of the issue.

Aitzaz fires back 

During the join session, while thanking the prime minister for personally apologising and expressing solidarity, Aitzaz referred back to his last speech in which he had warned the premier about his close aides.

“For how long will you apologise on behalf of those who have already left you?” he questioned, referring to the PM’s courtesy call last night.

“There were tickers on TV that interior minister stands by his statement,” Aitzaz added.

Taking a trip down memory lane, when the PML-N government was toppled in October 1999, Aitzaz said, "The prime minister was handcuffed even as he flew out of the country but there was one man, (Nisar) who was being sent breakfast from GHQ even when he was under house arrest."

Aitzaz mentioned his family’s role before and after Independence and quoted anecdotes from his own life, wherein he had refused to join hands with military dictators.

Further, he made a reference to Nisar’s earlier speech in which he accused Aitzaz for censuring the government, saying his tone was threatening.”

“Grow up, the government has to be patient,” he said, while asking the PM to reshuffle his cabinet after getting the current stalemate is resolved.

He added that PTI chairman Imran Khan’s claims regarding the attitude of government ministers were appealing to the masses.
“Your minister had lost the nerves until Parliament stood behind you and it was our proposal to convene a joint session,” he added.

Bursting with anger, Aitzaz added, “If I decide to walk out of the house, I am sure the entire opposition would join me. You will be only left with Mehmood Achakzai.”

However, he said he would not walk out because he believes in the house and the Constitution.

Further, the Senator clarified that he disagreed with the demand of the forced resignation of the prime minister, citing that as the reason for PPP standing with the prime minister in spite of the criticism of his party.
The PPP leader further said that Nisar should himself apologise in this house.

Prime minister's apology

Addressing the joint session, Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif said he had already apologised to both Aitzaz and Shah for the incident last night, and went on to express regret over the incident again in Parliament.

Urging the importance for all political parties to keep their differences aside for the sake of democracy, Constitution and to uphold the rule of law, the premier asked leaders to show magnanimity.

“I hope the opposition will continue on its path,” Nawaz said, adding, the government and opposition can settle their issues later on but should unite to face the bigger challenges at this juncture.

'Not a bed of roses'

Referring to the PAT sit-in during the PPP led-government's tenure, the premier said: “I had convened a meeting of leaders in Lahore in support of the system.”

Further, he said he was not striving to safeguard his rule, claiming “being Prime Minister of Pakistan is not a bed of roses.”

The premier also took the opportunity to lament that foreign dignitaries, particularly the Chinese president, had cancelled their visits to Pakistan due to the current political turmoil.

“I don’t know what’s happening about that. His trip would’ve been very beneficial for the country and would have brought us $34 billion,” he proclaimed.