Senate walkout: Opposition stages sit-in against privatisation

Hamza of PML-N joins protest; Rabbani threatens to block Constitution Avenue

ISLAMABAD:

The opposition on Thursday staged a sit-in in front of the Parliament House and decided to fight “tooth and nail” against the government’s plan to privatise Oil and Gas Development Company Limited (OGDCL) and arrest of the company’s protesting workers.

“The united opposition will not accept double standards of the government,” said Senator Mian Raza Rabbani while announcing opposition’s walkout from the proceedings and sit-in in front of the parliament house. “We will block the Constitution Avenue from the next session against highhandedness of the government,” he added.



Rabbani grilled the government for not taking any action against Pakistan Awami Tehreek [PAT] chief Dr Tahirul Qadri, terming him “biggest abettor” in the attack on PTV and the parliament house mounted in late August. “He was a man from your class and you did not take any action and let him go,” he said.

On the other hand, when poor workers of OGDCL came to Islamabad to stage protest demonstrations against privatisation, the government used force and put them behind bars, he added.

Rabbani demanded that all the arrested workers be freed and the FIRs against them be withdrawn. In response, leader of the house Raja Zafarul Haq apprised the house that a total of 23 workers were arrested for violation of section 144. He also refuted Rabbani’s claim of interior ministry’s role in rejection of arrested workers’ bail.

However, there was no statement from treasury benches regarding release of the arrested workers.

It was third consecutive day when opposition paralysed proceedings of the upper house with protest and then walkout. The house was adjourned due to lack of quorum on previous two counts, but on third day the senate chairman prorogued the house before opposition could point out quorum.

Outside the parliament house, M Hamza from the ruling PML-N joined the protesting opposition, where the senators were sitting on the ground against the privatisation of OGDCL, a profitable entity.

“This is just the beginning,” Rabbani said while addressing the media. “We would not let the government go for Manshalisation [the term coined to refer to sale of state organisations to Mian Mansha, the richest man in Pakistan].”



Talking about the OGDCL’s privatisation, Rabbani said that “it is a conspiracy to deprive the small provinces of their share [of resources].”

Salary, Perks and Privileges of CJP

Earlier during the question hour, Minister for Law and Justice Parvez Rashid shared information about the salaries, perks and privileges of the Chief Justice and other Supreme Court judges.

According to the details, the salary of CJP has four components “(a) Salary Rs591,651 (b) Superior Judiciary Allowance Rs259,009 (c) House Rent Rs68000, if official residence is not provided (d) Rs58,464 medical allowance per month.”

A judge of the Supreme Court has “(a) Salary of Rs558,907 (b) Special Judicial Allowance Rs259,009 (c) house rent of Rs68,000 if official residence is not provided and Medical allowance of Rs55,228 per month.”

Chief Justice and judges of the Supreme Court are provided with two chauffer-driven cars [one at principal seat and one at provincial HQ] with 600 liters petrol, free medical treatment along with the family and rent free residence maintained by the government with provision of electricity, gas and water.

Published in The Express Tribune, October 31st, 2014.