ISLAMABAD, Sept 26: The parliamentary opposition on Friday criticized President Pervez Musharraf for describing parliamentarians as “immature” and also took a swipe at the government for registering a treason case against Senator Sanaullah Baloch and other members of the Balochistan National Party (BNP).
Speaking at separate press conferences at the parliament house, the opposition leaders also demanded registration of treason cases against those responsible for the abrogation of the constitution and disrupting the democratic process in the country.
Muttahida Majlis-i-Amal President Allama Shah Ahmed Noorani said that President Musharraf had no right to pass such remarks against parliamentarians and that too in a foreign country.
He regretted that instead of registering treason cases against those who abrogated the Constitution, the government was levelling charges against elected representatives. He termed registration of treason cases against the BNP men an attempt to suppress the voice of the opposition.
PPP Senator Raza Rabbani also condemned the government for registering a treason case against the BNP men. He said the government could not suppress the opposition through such acts. Rather, he said, such acts would double the opposition resolve to oust the illegal regime.
Mr Rabbani also voiced concern over a news report regarding signing of an extradition treaty with the US in July 2003. He said the treaty, signed by the Pakistan’s ambassador and US Assistant Secretary of State Christina Rocca in Washington, had been kept secret.
He said under the treaty, any Pakistani citizen could be handed over to the United States without presenting him before any local court. He said treason cases should be filed against the government and the cabinet members for violating the Constitution.
He said the president had not addressed a joint sitting of parliament which was mandatory under Article 59(3). Moreover, Mr Rabbani said, the Senate had completed six months but the list of the 50 members who would be obliged to resign after three years had still not been finalized. The government had not constituted the Council of Common Interest (CCI) under Article 153.
Similarly, he added, the new National Finance Commission had not yet been constituted under Article 160. These were only a few examples of violation of the Constitution, he said.
The PPP senator said the government was intentionally delaying the appointment of opposition leaders in both the houses in an effort to create a rift in the opposition’s ranks. He said the opposition could not be divided on such issues.
BNP Senator Sanaullah Baloch said a treason case had been registered against his and his party men for raising their voice against military dictatorship. He regretted that the provinces were being run on the reports of intelligence agencies.
He said registration of such cases was not a new thing for them as similar cases had also been registered against Sardar Fatehullah Mengal and others. The senator said those who had abrogated the Constitution should be punished under Article 6.
The BNP senator also criticized the attitude of the speaker of the National Assembly and the Senate deputy chairman for not protecting the parliamentarians. “Instead of defending the members, the deputy chairman is defending agencies and the establishment,” Mr Baloch claimed.
Parliamentary leader of the PML-N in Senate Ishaq Dar alleged that President Musharraf had used “insulting” language against the members of the very parliament which he himself had created.
The opposition also announced that from Monday it would change its protest strategy of raising slogans and thumping desks and walking out of the session, and would start attending the sessions of the two houses for some time before staging a walkout.
MMA’s deputy parliamentary leader in the National Assembly Hafiz Hussain Ahmed said that the ruling alliance leadership had no control over its members as it had failed to maintain quorum in the two houses.
He asked the minister for parliamentary affairs and the chief whip of the ruling party to resign from their offices as they could not keep the two houses from being adjourned on Friday due to lack of quorum.
He expressed dismay over the issuance of arrest warrants for the two Balochistan MPs and conducting of raids when parliament was in session.
Raja Pervez Ashraf of People’s Party Parliamentarians criticized Gen Musharraf for “ridiculing the parliamentarians by describing them as immature”.
He supported the demand for registration of treason cases against those responsible for abrogation of the Constitution.
Dr Ismail Buledi of the MMA said the government was making attempts to destabilize the NWFP government. He denied reports of rift within the religious parties alliance. He said by issuing a statement against politicians in Canada, President Musharraf wanted to give an impression that he had got a nod from the US to dissolve parliament.
