PM moves to allay MPs fears over ‘bogus’ list

PM holds one-on-one meeting with IB chief; MNA allegedly had heart attack after seeing name on list

ISLAMABAD: In an important turn of events, the government on Friday attempted to pacify lawmakers belonging to the ruling Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) who have been accused of having connections with sectarian outfits in a ‘mysterious’ list allegedly issued by a civilian intelligence agency.

The list, said to contain the names of at least 37 lawmakers, first came to light when a private television channel aired a report claiming that deposed prime minister Nawaz Sharif had directed the Intelligence Bureau (IB) on July 10 — three weeks before his disqualification — to keep watch on the listed legislators, most of whom belong to his own party.

Both the government and IB dismissed the document as ‘bogus’. This, however, did little to allay the concerns of legislators named in the list, necessitating Friday’s crucial huddle between Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi and IB Director-General Aftab Sultan.



Sources told The Express Tribune that Abbasi and Sultan had a one-on-one meeting before the prime minister summoned the lawmakers to meet him in the presence of the civilian spymaster.

Sources said “the premier has decided to personally address concerns of the lawmakers and clear the air of uncertainty shrouding the matter.”

Only after taking the decision were the PML-N legislators called to PM House, they added.

A senior PML-N leader, while requesting anonymity, said, “The lawmakers named in the list believe that the document linking them to sectarian organisations is a move by the federal government to tame parliamentarians who are said to enjoy a close relationship with the security establishment or who have differences with the party leadership and are quietly distancing themselves from the PML-N.”

On the other hand, the government camp believes that the leaking or surfacing of the list at a time when there are reports of a rift between the civilian leadership and the security establishment is a sinister move to pressurise the government and create friction in the ranks of the ruling lot.



“There has been mistrust on both the sides and it was deemed necessary to clear the air,” said a source who is a close confidante of PM Abbasi. During the meeting, the insider said, the PM dispelled claims that the names of the lawmakers would be placed on the Exit Control List and assured them that no such action was being initiated.

“The [lawmakers] feared that intelligence agencies, particularly the civilian one, would start harassing them. They were assured by the PM that nothing was going to happen to them. When a list has been termed fake, how can any action be initiated on it?” the prime minister was quoted as saying to the lawmakers.

Official sources said despite the government and IB dismissing the list as fake, the 37 lawmakers are adamant on implying that the matter is “more serious than meets the eye”.

“The concerns shown by those named in the list and the way they reacted means something is seriously fishy. You don’t react like that to a fake document. The PM assured them the government would track down the elements behind this episode, but the lawmakers don’t want a probe, just for the matter to be hushed up, which is even stranger,” an official said.

PM’s Spokesman Musadik Malik was not available for comment.

PM’s Adviser Amir Muqam expressed ignorance of any meeting between the prime minister and the IB DG on the issue of the mysterious list.



“Meetings keep taking place at the PM Office and PM House, and lawmakers keep seeing the premier on a regular basis. The number of meetings has increased these days due to deliberations between the government and the opposition on the NAB chairman’s appointment, but I am not aware of any specific meeting to discuss the IB list controversy,” he said.

Dated July 31, an official memorandum, allegedly issued by IB DG Aftab Sultan contains the names of 37 PML-N legislators -- including MNAs, MPAs and senators who “have had dealings with sectarian outfits, in addition to being involved in illicit and disreputable activities unbefitting of a parliamentarian”.

The list includes the names of Deputy Speaker National Assembly Murtaza Javed Abbasi, Law Minister Zahid Hamid, National Food Security Minister Sikander Hayat Bosan, Awais Leghari, Jaffar Leghari, and Barrister Javed Abbasi.

Worrying list

Meanwhile, PML-N lawmaker Sheikh Fayyazuddin said in the National Assembly that fellow ruling-party MNA Najaf Abbas Sial suffered a brain haemorrhage due to severe stress caused by finding his name on the list.

It was the second consecutive day that the lower house of parliament has been echoing with the repercussions of the controversial list.



Riaz Hussain Pirzada and some other members of the treasury benches even staged a walkout from the house on Thursday to express their concerns and register protest over this list.

Fayyazuddin, whose name also appears on the ‘bogus’ list, told the house that when Sial was taken to Pims, there was no ventilator available. He said that if no ventilator is available at PIMS for an MNA, what the situation could be for poor citizens. “If you can’t run it (Pims), either close it or give it on contract to someone else,” he said.

Social media fatwas

Also in the assembly, Interior Minister Ahsan Iqbal said that in an Islamic country, only the state, not citizens, have the right to declare jihad, and called on religious leaders to denounce ‘so-called fatwas’ circulating on social media in this regard.

“The state has a monopoly on the use of force in an Islamic republic, and no citizen has the right to call for the killing of any citizen, he said. “Jihad rulings against one another in cities and villages will make this country a war zone. Enemy wants Muslims to kill one another,” he added.

“I request religious political leaders and clergy to denounce the fatwas on social media,” the minister said. He announced that the government would take action under cybercrime laws against individuals involved in hate crimes.



The minister also said that no-one has the right to question the faith of legislators who have signed the declaration of Khatam-e-Nabuwwat under oath.

About the suicide bomb blast at a shrine in Jhal Magsi, where 22 people were killed on Thursday, the minister said that a compensation package would be announced for the heirs of the victims. He called for creating unity in the nation.

Iqbal said enemies from across the Western borders were hitting soft targets in the country to create fear among the people. Because of the Zarb-e-Azb and the ongoing Raddul Fasad operation, terrorist activities have declined in the country, he added.

Earlier, Amir Magsi raised a point of order, saying there were poor security arrangements at the Jhal Magsi shrine. There was only one policeman deputed at the gate. This incident could have been avoided if the Rangers were deployed there, he added.

Later, Fouzia Hameed, on another point of order, stressed the need for reviewing the curriculum to create religious harmony. She also raised the issue of ‘stabbing of women’ in a neighbourhood. For the past two weeks in Karachi, she said, a ‘Chhalawa’ (phantom) has been attacking women and the provincial government is helpless.

Hameed said the Sindh home minister should resign if he is so helpless. She asked the Sindh Rangers director general to personally look into the matter and give protection to the citizens of Karachi. On irresponsible behaviour of the authorities concerned she announced the MQM was observing a token walkout. However, the sitting was adjourned immediately after her announcement.

During the proceedings on Friday, the house elected members of the Standing Committees on Privatisation, Narcotics Control and Postal Services and Statistics. The House also took up a calling attention notice regarding the vacant posts of headmasters in Islamabad model schools. Another calling attention notice about the increase in the prices of petroleum products was deferred on the request of the mover.