Opposition behind Nawaz only to support democracy, says Aitzaz
Aitzaz says opposition stands behind PML-N government despite its numerous failures to uphold its citizens' rights
ISLAMABAD:
While PTI president Javed Hashmi's speech in Parliament is likely to remain etched in our minds for years to come, the biggest opposition party in the country, Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP), wasn’t far behind when it came to reaffirming its allegiance to the law of the land.
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.
While PTI president Javed Hashmi's speech in Parliament is likely to remain etched in our minds for years to come, the biggest opposition party in the country, Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP), wasn’t far behind when it came to reaffirming its allegiance to the law of the land.
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.