ISLAMABAD:
Opposition lawmakers found rare allies among key partners of the ruling coalition on Monday when separate walkouts were staged from the National Assembly over a recent hike in petroleum prices.
MPs from both sides of the political aisle — the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N), as well as the Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) and the Awami National Party (ANP) — also called for an immediate withdrawal of the decision.
MQM’s Dr Abdul Qadir Khanzada pointed out that, without consultation with the lower house or its standing committees, petroleum prices were increased by as much as 25% during the last two months.
When Khanzada announced that his party resented the upward price revision, he was censured by PML-N leader Ahsan Iqbal who said, “You should walk out of the government instead of this house.”
“This has not happened for the first time. And if MQM feels the government has failed to deliver, it should not be part of the government,” Iqbal said. An increase of Rs8 per litre is ‘unbearable’ and should be withdrawn immediately, he added.
In addition, Iqbal expressed concern over the spate of targeted and sectarian killings in the country, the unending drone attacks, and the maltreatment of minorities in Sindh, particularly the Hindus. “We walkout of this house in protest against the government’s failure on all these fronts,” he said.
Before staging walkout from the house, legislators belonging to these political parties delivered dramatic speeches castigating the government for the price hike, arguing that the move would aggravate the already soaring prices in the country.
Similarly, ANP’s Syed Haider Ali Shah noted that the government was earning Rs 30-35 per litre and demanded an immediate withdrawal of the recent increase. ANP’s demand, like others, was followed by a token walkout.
Rimsha case
Meanwhile, when several members demanded the release of Rimsha Masih, a minor girl from Islamabad accused of blasphemy following discovery of new evidence, Interior Minister Rehman Malik promised to expose those behind the conspiracy on Tuesday (today) and said the law had to take its course as an FIR had already been registered against Rimsha.
Following the criticism over the deteriorating law and order situation in the country, the interior minister, asked deputy speaker to allow him to brief the house in-camera.
Published in The Express Tribune, September 4th, 2012.
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It is unbearable by common man it may decrease to 3 to 5 per ltr .