Crisis session: Malik demands joint session of parliament

Says all democratic forces must sit together before it is too late

ISLAMABAD: Senator Rehman Malik from the PPP has called upon the president and the prime minister of Pakistan to immediately call a joint session of parliament to discuss the political crisis spawned by the PTI scheduled protest in Islamabad.

The PTI has announced plans to paralyse life in the federal capital on November 2 to force Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif either to resign or to present himself for accountability in the wake of Panama Papers revelations.  “We recommended that such a joint session should be taken seriously by both the government and opposition and it must continue till the resolution of the current political deadlock,” Malik said at a news conference on Monday as he appealed to the PTI chief Imran Khan to participate in the session. “I believe that all democratic and political crises should be resolved through consensus,” he added.

Talking with reference to the Supreme Court’s upcoming hearing of the Panamagate issue on November 1 a day before the PTI’s sit-in, Malik said his party, the PPP, had always respected the judiciary even at the cost of sacrificing one of its premiers.

“We are bound to respect our judiciary. So I would like to advise the PTI to wait until verdict of Supreme Court of Pakistan comes with regard to this issue,” he said. Malik was of the view that the inflexible and hard attitude of the government and threat of violence in the capital can turn into a national disaster.

The senator said Pakistan was currently ‘suffering from’ leaks like Panama Leaks, Bahamas leak and most seriously the security meeting leaks. “We must make sure all these leaks may not ‘leak’ democracy in the country,” Malik added.

He said he did not want to criticise any party for its right of political demonstration and agitation but he did not support blocking of the capital.

Malik also questioned which provision of the Constitution of Pakistan allowed seizing the capital or blocking the movement of people.

“For the sake of democracy, PM Nawaz may also go to Imran Khan’s home to meet him and bring an end to the current uncertain situation,” he suggested. “I warn all democratic forces of the country particularly the ruling PML-N and the PTI to sit together before it is too late,” he said.

Published in The Express Tribune, October 25^th, 2016.