Khursheed wants jailed Dasti to appear in budget debate

Convenes meeting of opposition parties to discuss host of issues


Qadeer Tanoli June 11, 2017
Jamshed Dasti. PHOTO: EXPRESS/SHAHID SAEED

ISLAMABAD: Leader of Opposition in the National Assembly Khursheed Shah on Saturday asked Speaker Ayaz Sadiq to issue production orders for MNA Jamshed Dasti who is currently detained in Multan jail.

In the letter addressed to the speaker, Khursheed said, “Attending the budget session of the lower house without facing any hurdle is a privilege that must be given to Dasti.”

Dasti, Chairman of the Pakistan Awami Raj party, was arrested for allegedly instigating people to open the sluice gate at Kalu headworks channel to release water in Dinga minor (Muzaffargarh canal).

Irrigation officials had warned Dasti against opening the gate that had been closed for many months due to litigation. However, Dasti stated that he released water to facilitate farmers who had been complaining of water shortage.

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Officials said Dasti was produced before the magistrate in Muzaffargarh and he was sent on a 14-day judicial remand. He was then transferred to the Multan jail.

During the Saturday’s session of the National Assembly, the opposition leader asked the speaker whether his permission was sought before Dasti’s arrest. To this, the speaker replied in affirmative, but maintained that the police did not need his permission to detain an MNA for his involvement in a criminal activity.

The entire opposition has been on a boycott of the National Assembly proceedings after the government refused to telecast the speeches of opposition members on the state-run Pakistan Television (PTV) on the grounds that there has been no such precedent.

The opposition leader, meanwhile, also called a parliamentary meeting of the opposition parties on Monday (tomorrow) to formulate a strategy on the PTV coverage issue. The meeting will be held in the committee room number II of the Parliament House.

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The parliamentary meeting will review the prevailing political situation in the country and foreign policy matters. It will also discuss the arrest of Dasti and the issue of severe electricity crisis in the country.

Lawmakers belonging to the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf, Pakistan Muslim League-Quaid-e-Azam, Awami National Party, Qaumi Watan Party and Awami Muslim League would attend the meeting.

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