Yemen debate day 2: After a day of reproaches, Imran skips session
Likely to address joint sitting of parliament in days to come
Imran Khan. PHOTO: FILE
ISLAMABAD:
After facing a volley of reproaches in parliament on the first day of the joint session convened to discuss what role Pakistan could play in the resolution of the Yemen conflict, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan decided to skip the proceedings on Tuesday.
The proceedings were different in terms of decorum and attitude of the MPs: no anti-PTI slogans were raised and, instead, the members not only welcomed the party back to the assembly but also criticised the government for how the previous day’s proceedings were conducted.
All the PTI leaders were in attendance except the party’s vice chairman, Shah Mehmood Qureshi.
What had happened?
On Monday, legislators of the Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) and the Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F) had questioned the legitimacy of the PTI’s returning lawmakers, who had handed in their resignations en masse on August 22.
The ruling party-backed Defence Minister Khawaja Asif had told the PTI lawmakers to demonstrate decency and stop declaring the National Assembly a “product of rigging”.
PTI still has friends
Senator Farhatullah Babar of the Pakistan People’s Party (PPP), which had backed and defended the returning lawmakers, hailed the PTI’s return as “triumph of parliament and democracy”.
He also censured the defence minister for his impudence and called for expunging his “unparliamentarily remarks”.
Jamaat-e-Islami chief Sirajul Haq termed the PTI’s return a “positive step”. He said his party could work with the PTI for the well-being of the people of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
Where was Imran?
According to a Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf official, Imran spent the day at home, had meetings with some party members and an interview with a TV channel.
The official quoted the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf chief as saying he would “address the joint session in the coming days”.
Published in The Express Tribune, April 8th, 2015.
After facing a volley of reproaches in parliament on the first day of the joint session convened to discuss what role Pakistan could play in the resolution of the Yemen conflict, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan decided to skip the proceedings on Tuesday.
The proceedings were different in terms of decorum and attitude of the MPs: no anti-PTI slogans were raised and, instead, the members not only welcomed the party back to the assembly but also criticised the government for how the previous day’s proceedings were conducted.
All the PTI leaders were in attendance except the party’s vice chairman, Shah Mehmood Qureshi.
What had happened?
On Monday, legislators of the Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) and the Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F) had questioned the legitimacy of the PTI’s returning lawmakers, who had handed in their resignations en masse on August 22.
The ruling party-backed Defence Minister Khawaja Asif had told the PTI lawmakers to demonstrate decency and stop declaring the National Assembly a “product of rigging”.
PTI still has friends
Senator Farhatullah Babar of the Pakistan People’s Party (PPP), which had backed and defended the returning lawmakers, hailed the PTI’s return as “triumph of parliament and democracy”.
He also censured the defence minister for his impudence and called for expunging his “unparliamentarily remarks”.
Jamaat-e-Islami chief Sirajul Haq termed the PTI’s return a “positive step”. He said his party could work with the PTI for the well-being of the people of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
Where was Imran?
According to a Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf official, Imran spent the day at home, had meetings with some party members and an interview with a TV channel.
The official quoted the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf chief as saying he would “address the joint session in the coming days”.
Published in The Express Tribune, April 8th, 2015.