May 5, 2006	Friday	Rabi-us-Sani 6, 1427

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ISLAMABAD, May 4: The treasury joined the combined opposition in the National Assembly on Thursday to protest against alleged political victimisation of Pakistan Muslim League-(N) MNA Kawaja Saad Rafiq who has been in detention since February when he led a procession in Lahore.

Mr Rafiq has been attending proceedings of the assembly on speaker’s order.

Riaz Fatyana, a treasury member, said Mr Rafiq was innocent as he had sworn on the Holy Quran that he had no hand in an incident of arson and violence.

He demanded his immediate release. He also called for release of Dr Sarfaraz Naeemi, Salimullah Khan and others who had been detained on similar charges.

On a point of order, PML-N acting parliamentary leader Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan criticised the government for implicating Mr Rafiq in six seven years old cases. He said he had been granted bail in five of the cases.

He said the opposition did not want creating problems for the government but it should avoid victimising opposition leaders on flimsy grounds.

Naheed Khan of the People’s Party Parliamentarians also demanded Mr Rafiq’s release.

Muttahida Majlis-i-Amal’s Liaqat Baloch said Mr Rafiq was being victimised in false cases. He said the government should withdraw the charges against him to ensure his early release.

Tehmina Daultana of the PML-N contested information minister’s claims about democracy in the country, saying implication of Mr Rafiq in what she called false cases was a clear case of political victimisation and negation of a democratic system.