Parliament sees heated debate over Nawaz’s exit

PML-N lawmakers raise issue of indemnity bond worth Rs7 billion

ISLAMABAD: The government and the opposition in both houses of parliament on Thursday came face to face on the issue of allowing former prime minister Nawaz Sharif to travel abroad for his treatment.

The opposition in the National Assembly received support from a government ally, the Balochistan National Party-Mengal (BNP-M), while the Senate Chairman Sadiq Sanjrani directed the government to provide all facilities to Nawaz and former president Asif Zardari for their treatment.

Senior Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) leader Khawaja Asif came down hard on the government for demanding indemnity bond of Rs7-7.5 billion for allowing him to travel abroad for the treatment.

“Nawaz Sharif is suffering from five to six diseases. He does not want to leave the country but his doctors have told him that they have done everything they could for his treatment and Pakistani doctors could not treat him here any further,” Asif said.



“Nawaz Sharif left his ailing wife behind and came back before the last elections, knowing that he will be arrested in Pakistan,” Asif said. “The government should allow Nawaz Sharif to go abroad for treatment. I am sure he will return to Pakistan again.”

Agha Hassan Baloch of the BNP-M supported Asif's demand. Former prime minister Raja Pervaiz Ashraf demanded formation of a medical board for former president Asif Zardari.

Responding on behalf of the government Communications Minister Murad Saeed said that Prime Minister Imran Khan and the entire federal cabinet wished Nawaz well and that the government was not in the business of political vendetta.

"Nawaz Sharif is a convict. They [opposition] should tell us why their finance minister Ishaq Dar is absconding. Why Hussain and Hassan Nawaz and son of Shehbaz Sharif are not coming back to Pakistan," he asked.

In the Senate, Chairman Sadiq Sanjrani gave his ruling after the PML-N lawmakers criticised the government for demanding indemnity bond from the ailing former prime minister. Senator Javed Abbasi called on the government to remove the name of Nawaz from the Exit Control List (ECL) without any conditions.



The chair ruled in favour of sending Nawaz abroad for treatment. Sanjrani directed the leader of the house and the parliamentary affairs minister to provide all facilities to Nawaz.

Senator Sherry Rehman of the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) also raised the issue of ill-health of former president Asif Zardari. Sanjrani ruled that the government should also provide medical facilities to the PPP co-chairman.

Earlier, Raza Rabbani of the PPP accused the government of adopting double standards. He said that former president Pervez Musharraf was sent to Dubai for treatment, but Zardari was not being given access to his doctor. Senator Mushahidullah Khan of the PML-N said that Nawaz Sharif loved Pakistan. He asked the government to allow him to travel abroad without wasting a single second.

During the session, Human Rights Minister Shireen Mazari wrapped up the debate on the Kashmir issue. She said that her ministry would write a letter on this issue to the United Nations.



Earlier, speaking on the motion, PML-N’s Nuzhat Sadiq said that Indian forces had made lives of eight million Kashmiris in the occupied valley miserable. “The people have been facing curfew and lockdown for the last over 100 days.”

PPP’s Bahramand Tangi said the government should make its Kashmir policy clear. He also called for taking on board all the political parties in order to give effective response to India over the Kashmir issue.

Tahir Bazinjo said human rights bodies had also raised their voice over the human rights violations in the occupied Kashmir. He regretted that the UN had failed so far to stop Indian atrocities against the innocent Kashmiri people.

Senator Muhammad Ayub said India violated UN resolutions by revoking Article 370. Pervaz Rashid of the PML-N alleged that the government was not serious on the Kashmir issue.

Meanwhile, during discussion on the economic situation in the country, the opposition protested against the absence of the minister concerned as well as the finance secretary. The chair directed for writing a letter to the prime minister on this issue, and directed the leader of the House to ensure presence of the ministers in the House.

(With additional input from APP)