Addressing the joint session of Parliament on Tuesday, oratory master and PPP leader Aitzaz Ahsan exemplified the sacrifices made by the opposition to defend democracy despite the PML-N-led government’s far from perfect first year in government.
“PM Nawaz, we want to assure you that despite the small group that is protesting in the federal capital, we are standing by you,” Ahsan said, adding that all opposition parties were fighting to preserve the Constitution.
“We are supporting you because you support democracy but once this difficult time is over, we will continue criticising your policies,” said the PPP leader.
Aitzaz went on to criticise the government’s handling of the Model Town incident, saying the state failed to uphold its citizens' rights.
During his address, Aitzaz asked the premier to sit and think about who his “real friends” are. “Your ministers don’t take matters seriously,” he said.
“Yesterday, you said you would not resign. You had said the same thing in the past but then you resigned; I hope you will stick to your words this time,” said Aitzaz, referring to Nawaz’s forced resignation in 1993.
“Today, the police are not listening to you due to the discrepancies in your past policies,” said Aitzaz, while defending the ‘legitimate’ concerns of protesters in Islamabad.
“They have a valid point. There was massive rigging in the elections; there is substance in Imran’s claims of corruption,” he asserted.
However, Aitzaz also criticised the protesting parties and said the media has unjustifiably given them (Imran Khan and Dr Tahirul Qadri) too much airtime.
While questioning Imran’s repeated references to similar protests taking place outside 10 Downing Street, the British prime minister’s residence, Aitzaz said: “Where in the world or in which planet do you take stick-wielding, armed protesters carrying cutters and expect not to be stopped.”
“Benazir Bhutto always led the protests from the front; she would put herself in front of baton-holding police,” he added.
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@kulwaant singh: @Gp65 Perhaps you don't understand something that most Pakistanis know. The current electoral system in Pakistan is rigged and that's how the seasoned politicians keep getting elected time after time despite showing zero performance and corruption to the extreme. In an even less than perfect world that would not happen, except with cheating. They loot the national wealth, then use it to buy and install their police force, judges, election officials, and pay even the poor electorate to win the next election. You say IK should use all the legal means - again a sensible idea in theory, but in practice all the legal means have been fixed and justice delayed and denied. He moved his appeals in the elections commission, the high court, the supreme court, you name it. Nothing has been done because the system has been rigged. Take another example, the Model Town massacre by the very police that was supposed to protect the citizens. Instead they came to protect the gov't of Shehbaz Sharif (no doubt on his orders), and then the rigged system prevented even the first investigation report from having been filed. Only this protest has forced the govt to allow the FIR. The people of Pakistan are thus for a change in this system and unfortunately through normal means there will be no change, bacause the system of corrupt politics ensures the status quo. By the way I am not a PTI supporter.
@jami: Dear this is not the way to remove the Elected Prime Minister their are many constitutional means Mr. Khan can move the courts, Election Tribunal , suppose the PM resigns and fresh elections are held how he expect that the fresh election by the same Election Commission and the same Government servants will be free and fair, will not be rigged because the same security personnel will be deployed. Mr. IK is a spor.tsman and not a corrupt politician he must educate the people about his policies and priorities make the KPK an example and in the coming elections he will be voted to become the PM
You scratch mine and I will scratch yours.
ET mods - my comments are all directly related to the OpEd and within your published guidelines. Is there a reason most of them are being trashed today?
@AJamal: @Janam: Imran's issue was not about jagirdars or not, pro-poor policies or not. It was about dhaandli and according to him it was systematic by collusion of all institutions responsile for election. He has never provided the smallest proof of that claim. The issue about /prop-poor policies is one that is to be put to the electorate at the time of election and not the basis of demanding resignation of an elected PM.
@Rawalpindi Kid: @jami @Raheel No one denies that there was some dhaandhli. Remember though that all parties have complained about dhaandli not just PTI. What people do NOT agree is that the dhaandli was an outcome of systematic collusion of judiciary, EC and interim Punjab government in favor of PML-N and against PTI. In absence of that evidence, PTI is really doing disservice to the whole natuon by making all these insititutions controversial.
I say this not as a PML-N supporter but as an Indian who hopes democracy flourishes in Pakistan.
@Unbelievable- Imran did nit come a distant third. PPP had a couple of more seats and Imran had more votes. It was however far behind PML-N both in terms of otes and seats and that is what counts.
@Mirza
As always a thoughtful comment.
A group thieves in support of others
IK and TUQ are trying to steal the ublics mandate by making fiery speeches and help from a third party. IK has been saying that they have won the match even before it is actually over, does that not mean cheating. Shame on IK for selling his party. NS should stay as PM till proven otherwise in court. That is democracy. IK is half the man I earlier thought him to be first his supporters ransack government buildings and then he takes a u turn fearing legal action. What a hypocrite.
The support being shown is for a democratic system, not for N.S. There should be accountability of office holders and ik tuk. Responsibility and accountability go hand in glove. Covert and not so covert support of ik and tuq by army should be investigated by Supreme Court. One could say retired army officers can do as any other private citizen. Not so when you were chief of isi or similar position, not when you know state secrets and have extensive contacts in power structure. In il. Last two governors have ended up in jail for corruption,last one was arrested while in office. Now that is accountability . Bring that to Pakistan.
@unbelievable: You must have missed all the news. Qadri didn't participate in the elections because he knew the system is rigged. And IK found out after the elections that Qadri was right. The party you claim won a large majority got it by cheating - that is what this whole protest is about. There is no elephant in the room, except in your simple mind.
The Oxford Choudry sounded good.......but his message was clear that the status quo must continue otherwise we all sink together.
Shame on Aitezaz. Despite telling all the wrongdoings of PMLN and rigged election, still he supports NS. This clearly proves they are all in the assemble to safeguard each others interests.
Qadri didn't even run for office and IK came in a distant 3rd ... not sure how that equates to a mandate to depose the party which won by a super majority and is backed by the party that came in second. One of those Elephant in the Room things?
Of course these 'Jagirdars' would support him. If they did not, they will all be investigated and punished for stealing from the country and depositing the stolen money in Western countries. You just have to look at the properties acquired by them in places like London/Paris/ Switzerland and California to name a few. Recently, here in London a house declared as the most expensive house in the UK (Close to £120 millions) made the news. It belongs to a Pakistan Senator and it was being re-possed by Deucha Bank because this senator even cheated the bank for many millions of pounds.
Since Imran Khan wants to empower ordinary people, therefore the Gang of 'Jagirdars' feel he is threat to them all. They don't allow schools in their areas and keep the poor oppressed. Their own children get educated in the West. Its about time that the ordinary people get a say in how the country should be governed. Look at the people in power now, their only qualification is that they are from Nawaz Sharif's family!!! Zardari before him was no better. he was popularly known as Mr 10% during his wife's tenure and became Mr200% when in power. May Allah cleanse Pakistan of Shaitans like these......Ameen
How much Aitzaz is giving taxes ?involved in EOBI corruption case
Aitzaz showed his wizardry with oratory.....any other PM worth his salt would have resigned after hearing the Mother & son story but Sharif Brothers have neither any common sense nor sense of honor !!!
Atizaz Ahsan should be hammering the government over its anti-poor policies, instead of supporting him.
This God gifted state does not belong to some , socalled elite class like these incompetent parliamenterians. God ! Save our country.
as NFP suggested, "Aitzaz Ahsan seized the moment, the hour and then the day" .. PPP brought democracy and will support the process, PPP will continue to reaffirm it's allegiance to the law of the land....
This is called mature and unselfish parliamentary politics not terrorism on the roads. In an imperfect Pakistan where milk and baby food is not pure how can whole elections be pure? Democracy is not perfect in an imperfect country but we have to grow up and there has been no other way. We have tried army dictatorship for decades let us try democracy for a few more years. Last elections saw the ruling parties out of power and the next election would do the same. It is a long sieving process and would take 3-4 elections.
"We know that you robbed the nation but since you didn't bother us while our party was doing it so in return we won't bother you but please do remember that in future"....absolutely shocking! Sir Aitzaz, I do respect the man you are especially after your struggle for the independence of judiciary but please don't set examples which can plague the young minds of our youth of today and the future. We see you as one of the highly enlightened leaders of Pakistan and we have high hopes from you. I rate you so highly that I was literally gob smacked when I heard your speech today in the parliament.
Its amazing how many sides of the fence the PPP has found to play on this issue. Zardari supports, Kaira opposes, Aitezaz says elections heavily rigged but stand with PM, Wattoo says something completely different....
AK Tewari, Nawaz has come through a rigged election. He is a fake PM.
Deeply disappointed about Aitezaz Hasan remarks, being a lawyer he should know that this democracy in Pakistan is a farce. Politicians come into office poor and then become millionaires. Knowing that election were massively rigged, he is still patronizing Nawaz Sharif . It is a joke !
So what are you doing to address legitimate concerns of the protesters, Mr Ahsan?
Mr Itezaz Ahsan, people of Pakistan should have precedence over democracy. As in your words this government has failed people of the country and therefore you should be part of the effort to oust this government.
Aitizaz is biggest hypocrite, he wants to save democracy when rest of the poor Pakistani are dying due to hunger and injustice.
Mr. Aitzaz stands with Nawaz Sharif, but even though he is a lawyer he has not moved a single motion in the Senate to bring justice to the people who were brutally killed by the brother of Nawaz Sharif. Where is your voice Mr. Aitzaz for the last 2 months since Model Town innocent people were massacered and no FIR was lodged against the culprits? You have proven whose side you and PPP are on, and that is not the side of the people of Pakistan, otherwise you would be the one to call for Shehbaz and Nawaz Sharif's resignation. Shebaz is not only Nawaz's brother but as chief minister also reports to the prime minister. So the ultimate responsibility lies with Nawaz. You pretend you stand for democracy? In any real democracy the democrats would not be standing with the chief minister and prime minister who have such serious allegations against them.
I am aggrieved today for the death of PPP - what a great political party it was and how it has been burnt to ashes by its own leadership !
PPP and PTI talk of ROs role...where were they when NRO was signed? Shame on Musharraf, Aitezaz, Zardari and Imran.
The PPP is not playing the role of the opposition, instead its just playing second fiddle to the Nawaz government.
I totally agree with Dr Tewari's comments. Democracy, Parliament, Judiciary, Constitution, Laws, Amendments, State Machinery etc are all jokes in Pakistan. They are used as an excuse to legitimise civilian dictatorship by the rich and powerful who practice feudal corruption, power and all manner of underhand irregularities. Small wonder Pakistan has often had to be rescued by Military takeovers, as it is unfortunately not civilsed enough to handle real true democracy (which is a difficult practice even in countries like the UK). I completely fail to see what a sham parliament has ever done for the really needy people of Pakistan. Nawaz Sharif and his lot are despicable corrupt overlords, who have shipped huge illicit monies abroad, practiced violent revenge, ruined the economy in every way, reduced investment, increased the cost of living, reduced productivity, ruined the infrastructure, ruined the power policy, ruined sanitation, housing, education, health and above all, put corrupt authority in the hands of a few of his cronies and family members. He has also ruined all the silver assets of the country and deepened the divide between rich and powerful, and the poor helpless people of Pakistan. These are the real issues that discourse should debate. Some may disagree, but in Pervez Musharraf's days, the country's economy was being stabilised and at least, the man is a patriot. This is what Imran Khan and Tahir-ul-Qadri Sahib are, and their great contribution to awareness in Pakistan for the common man's rights are immensly laudible. For God's sake, PML(N) leadership must now step down. They have made enough money and done enough harm. Go now with relative safety. Otherwise what has happened in so many Arab countries recently may re-occur in Pakistan, and whatever has happened, no one wants to see such unsavoury scenes. Pakistan Paindabad.
Given all the mistakes the PPP acknowledge the government has made e.g. massive vote rigging, the model town killings etc, I would like to know when PPP intend to start to play the role of an opposition and start accounting the present government; so far we have not seen them play the part of an opposition party. Or does PPP only intend to oppose anyone who wants to address the corruption in our current institutions from which their leaders greatly benefit.
Absolutly correct stand of the opposition . Put the PM on trial for the next four years on the floor of parliament . Let the state institurions to deal with IK !!
Aitzaz is wrong to support Nawaz Sharif. On one hand he agrees the elections were rigged and on the other he supports the prime minister who came to power illegally. That is not democracy but a sham. What justification does a prime minister or a chief minister have staying in power when their police attack and kill unarmed citizens and then stand in the way of legal action against such crimes? The people of Pakistan are not with you Mr. Aitzaz because you are not with the people but with the very system that people are revolting against. I am not a big fan of PTI but they and PAT are now fighting for people's rights and that is commendable. My full support to them both.