PTI protest overshadows proceedings

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ISLAMABAD:

The opposition Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) staged a noisy protest, raising slogans and waving placards to disrupt the joint session on Monday, as President Asif Ali Zardari delivered his eighth address to parliament.

The PTI protest started as soon as the president began his speech. Thumping desks in defiance, the opposition members kept raised slogans in favour of party founder Imran Khan. National Assembly Opposition Leader Omar Ayub repeatedly slammed a book on his desk.

However, despite the protest, Zardari remained composed and continued his speech, occasionally, smiling towards the opposition benches. To counter the noise, both Zardari and Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif along with some others wore headphones.

The joint session also had some lighter moments, as former PTI stalwart, Pervez Khattak, who has recently been inducted in federal cabinet, mistakenly walked toward the PTI benches before realising his misstep.

Khattak, once a closest confidant of former prime minister Imran Khan, was seen laughing at how his former colleagues were protesting to disrupt the president's address. Khattak was sitting with another former PTI member, Raja Khurram Nawaz.

On one occasion, a few PTI members showed a poster to both Khattak and Nawaz, which demanded release of Imran. However, they both dismissed it with their hand gestures and kept refuting such gestures later in the session.

The only time Khattak stood up from his seat was when he saw Sher Afzal Marwat, who was recently expelled from the PTI, came in, sat behind the PTI protesting members and started using his mobile phone. They hugged, exchanged pleasantries and sat on different sides of the aisle.

Later, speaking at a press conference alongside PTI Chairman Barrister Gohar Ali Khan and other party leaders, Ayub lambasted the president and the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP), accusing them of "record-breaking corruption in Sindh" and "planning to privatise the province's water resources".

He dismissed Zardari's presidency as illegitimate. "We do not recognise this installed government. Asif Ali Zardari did not say a single constructive thing today," he said. "Whether it's Asif Zardari or Bilawal Bhutto [Zardari], both are on the verge of selling Sindh's water," he alleged.

Ayub also slammed the PPP's role in supporting the controversial Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act (Peca) amendments and "Form-47 manipulation" in the last elections. He also took aim at the Punjab government, calling them a "gang of professional dacoits".

He accused the current government of "economic failure," arguing that despite widespread corruption, it was falsely celebrating economic stability. "They claim inflation has decreased, let them step outside and see for themselves whether prices have gone down or up," he said.

The opposition leader also slammed the government's performance in attracting foreign investments, particularly in the information technology sector and criticised the Special Investment Facilitation Council (SIFC). He also accused the government of failing in maintaining the law and order.

He reiterated PTI's support for the armed forces, saying, "Our founder [Imran Khan] has always said that the military is ours, but he and Bushra Bibi are being dragged into bogus cases." He Lamented the state of political repression, leading to massive emigration from the country.

Speaking on the occasion, PTI Chairman Barrister Gohar criticised Zardari's leadership, saying that the president, during his address, failed to prove that democracy existed in the country. He also slammed the president for bypassing the opposition chambers in parliament.

"Zardari remains a controversial president even today," Gohar said, adding: "Decisions in this country have always been made outside parliament, not within it." He said that the PTI's protests would "continue in the same manner as today".

Meanwhile, Senate Opposition Leader Senator Shibli Faraz rejected the legality of recent legislation. "None of the laws passed in this Senate hold any moral or legal authority," he said, pointing out that one province was completely unrepresented in the upper house.

"How can elections be conducted and bills be passed without representation from an entire province?" Faraz questioned, further raising concerns about the legitimacy of the government's parliamentary actions.