National Assembly session: Qureshi joins chorus, rebels against PPP

Former foreign minister lashes out at the govt for failing to deliver.

ISLAMABAD:

Joining the chorus of the opposition, former foreign minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi declared to “rebel” against the neglectful attitude of his own party, the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP), citing the government’s failure to deliver effectively on domestic and international fronts.

“If this is their politics, then I declare to rebel against this approach,” said Qureshi, hinting at the government’s plan to steal the next general elections through gerrymandering, regardless of its performance.

“I am alone and weak, but will not compromise on my principles,” declared Qureshi.

He demanded the government to set up an independent commission following the Indian model for “delimitation”.

The former foreign minister was addressing the National Assembly while participating in the ongoing debate on the energy crisis, load-shedding, price hikes in petroleum products and other related issues.

However, the Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) and Pakistan Muslim League-Q (PML-Q) remained absent from the house which witnessed dramatic sloganeering and a token walkout by the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N).

Referring to the recent strategic agreements between India and Afghanistan, he said: “Do we understand the implications of the new enhanced role of India after the departure of Nato forces?”

Earlier, former interior minister Aftab Ahmed Khan Sherpao appeared hopeless regarding implementation of the all-parties conference resolution saying, “What can we expect from this government, since implementation of earlier commitments is still pending?”

Responding to the energy crisis and steps taken by the government to control the situation, Minister for Water and Power Syed Naveed Qamar said: “We have added 3,000 MW to the system and another 2,000 MW would be added in the next two days”.

Published in The Express Tribune, October 6^th, 2011.