NA session: Opposition to grill govt on radio tax, media laws

Nisar slams political parties for withdrawing demand for early polls.


Qamar Zaman February 28, 2012

ISLAMABAD:


The Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) on Monday hinted at re-launching its campaign to hold fresh elections, adding that the party would quiz the government regarding the imposition of radio tax, increase in the price of petroleum products and manhandling of polling staff in the upcoming National Assembly (NA) session.


“The government should step down immediately since it would be naïve to expect any improvements. Barring PML-N, all other parties have withdrawn their demand for early elections,” leader of the opposition in the National Assembly Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan told a press conference. “We will start our political deliberations in a few days.”

Nisar said his party will take up all its grievances, including the hike in the prices of petroleum products in the upcoming NA session.

Nisar said Jamaat-e-Islami (JI) is of the view that the government should complete its term and not be given the opportunity to become ‘martyrs’. He said that the JUI-F and others who chanted slogans of a revolution have reverted from their stance too.

Nisar slammed the government on doling out state resources to win by-elections, saying that “nothing has worked for the government.”

He also questioned the Election Commission of Pakistan’s (ECP) capability to hold free and fair elections.

Nisar said the government cannot announce any development schemes for a constituency after the announcement of the election schedule.

He said that the “government’s generosity cannot be imagined” in Multan, from where Prime Minister Gilani’s son contested the elections.

Media regulations

Talking about the newly proposed media regulations, he said the PML-N will raise the issue in the upcoming National Assembly session, asking the government for an explanation. “Independent media has become an integral part of democracy and we fear an attempt is being made to weaken it in order to hide the government’s shortcomings.”

The PML-N leader also opposed the suggestion of imposing radio tax on mobile recharge, terming the move unconstitutional and unjustified.

“If the government does not pay heed to our demands, President Zardari’s address to the Parliament at the start of the next parliamentary year will not be smooth sailing,” he warned.

Published in The Express Tribune, February 28th, 2012.

COMMENTS (1)

K. Salim Jahangir | 12 years ago | Reply

Opposition has not, so far ,been able to do any thing what to talk of grilling the government.They made a bit of hue & cry last month on increase in petroleum prices & then a lull after storm in a tea cup.Now another increase is being announced on 29th Feb.Imran khan is right when he says match fixing is already done between these two parties on all matters affecting the masses.IK is again right when he uses expression of "Noora Kushty". Let us see what happens after tomorrow !

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