ISLAMABAD:
Opposition parties, including Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP), Awami National Party (ANP) and Jamaat-e-Islami (JI) on Friday yet again boycotted the proceedings of the National Assembly against the arrest of the workers of Oil and Gas Development Corporation Ltd (OGDCL).
These parties had also boycotted the proceedings of the lower house on Thursday in protest against the rude attitude of Interior Minister Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan, who had left the house during the speech of opposition leader Khursheed Shah.
The protesting lawmakers were holding placards with slogans in favour of the OGDCL workers and against the privatisation of the corporation. “We condemn the arrest and rejection of bail applications of the employees of the OGDCL and also condemn the abusive language used by the interior minister on the floor of the house against the opposition,” said PPP lawmaker Shazia Marri, who spoke on behalf of her party on a point of order, soon after recitation of the holy Quran.
“The action taken against OGDCL workers is condemnable. Despite assurance given to the Opposition Leader by the government that the workers would be released, their bail applications were rejected in court,” said Marri.
She said that serious violence was committed by the police against the workers during their protest for genuine rights. She said that OGDCL is a profitable organisation and selling of its shares would be against the interest of the country. “We will never leave these workers alone; PPP will support them,” said Marri.
JI parliamentary leader Sahibazad Tariqullah said that privatisation of OGDCL is not only against the interest of workers, but also against national interest. He said that it is matter of concern that the protesting workers were not only beaten up by police, but cases were also furnished against them.
ANP leader Haji Ghulam Ahmed Bilour said that political parties make hollow promises when they campaign for elections, but once elected, they even snatch away fundamental rights of the people.
He said that this is a double standard of the government that on one hand it arrests the peaceful workers of OGCDL, yet those who protested in violent manner in the Red Zone are still enjoying government’s protocol.
However, State Minister for Parliamentary Affairs, Sheikh Aftab, later said that the government has no plan to privatize the OGDCL and no worker would be laid off. “We will protect the rights of workers anywhere in the country,” said Sheikh.
Defending police action against the workers, he said that section 144 had been imposed in Islamabad and the protesters not only violated it, but they also injured a DSP and a police constable.
Sheikh said that the real reason for the opposition’s boycott of the proceedings is not the OGDCL issue, but they are actually not happy with Nawaz Sharif’s vision for successful economic policies and programmes. The minister said PML-N will again win the elections in 2018 due to its performance.
Later, Hindu MNAs Dr Ramesh Lal and Dr Darshan raised the issue of the abduction of a 13-year-old Hindu girl from interior Sindh. They said that minorities are not safe in the country, particularly in Sindh. The house was later prorogued.
Published in The Express Tribune, November 1st, 2014.
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