Opposition up in arms over minister's diatribe against Dawar, Wazir

Deputy speaker adjourns NA session; opposition holds joint presser to condemn PTI's dictatorial actions

The National Assembly's session on Friday was adjourned after members of the opposition staged a protest against Minister of State for Parliamentary Affairs Ali Muhammad Khan's diatribe against MNAs Mohsin Dawar and Ali Wazir.

Deputy Speaker Qasim Khan Suri announced the adjournment as parliamentarians from both sides came face-to-face on the assembly floor after Khan's scathing criticism - which included certain unparliamentary terms - of the two Pashtun Tahaffuz Movement (PTM) leaders.

The state minister, while responding to a question, accused the two MNAs of harbouring anti-Pakistan sentiments and questioned their loyalty to the country.

Khan accused Dawar and Wazir of being "touts" of Afghanistan's intelligence agency, the National Directorate of Security, and called for their expulsion as members of Pakistan's Parliament.

His provocative comments drew a sharp response from the opposition benches as Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) leaders, including Bilawal Bhutto Zardari, stood up to register their protest midway through Khan's address.

The situation soon escalated as lawmakers from other opposition parties, including Pakistan Muslim League - Nawaz (PML-N), joined in the protest and surrounded the speaker's dais.

'Anything but a display of democracy'

Soon after the session was adjourned, members of the opposition convened for a joint media talk outside the assembly.

"All opposition parties are standing together today. What we saw in the assembly a little while ago was anything but a display of democracy; the deputy speaker violated house rules by not letting opposition members speak on these sensitive issues," said Bilawal.

"A few days ago, you all saw innocent Pakistanis and parliamentarians being targeted on the streets of Islamabad. Our unarmed supporters and MNAs were tortured and arrested. This is the reality of this so-called 'state of Madina'. This Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) government seems bent on bringing back Musharraf's policies and strongarm tactics through people such as Brigadier (retd) Ijaz Shah."

The PPP chairman vowed to put up a joint front against the PTI-led government. "I had written to the NA speaker about the production orders of Ali Wazir and Mohsin Dawar. However, we were lied to today and told that no such letter was received. From judges to parliamentarians, this government is targeting everyone through underhand tactics and we will not let this continue," said Bilawal.

Former prime minister and PML-N Senior Vice President Shahid Khaqan Abbasi also criticised the government's attempts to silence the parliament and judiciary. "This government has set a new low by filing references against judges. This is nothing but an attempt to browbeat the judiciary. The PTI government does not want judges to act independently and is resorting to such pressure tactics."

"Come what may, we will resist all such attempts with full force. We also stand firm on our demand for parliamentary probes into the NAB chairman issue and the North Waziristan incident."

Abbasi was followed by Sardar Akhtar Mengal, who said the current democratic setup in Pakistan was becoming eerily similar to past dictatorial regimes.  "Today, Pakistan is a democracy in name only. The current situation and actions of the PTI government strongly resemble those we have witnessed during dictatorships."

"The judges being targeted today are those who challenged Pakistan's untouchable powers. In such times, it is essential that we do everything in our power to ensure that the sacrifices rendered for democracy by the people of Pakistan are not allowed to go to waste," said Mengal.