ISLAMABAD: On the last day of the current session, the National Assembly witnessed separate walkouts by the Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf and the Mutt­a­hida Qaumi Movement against the spea­ker and the prime minister, respectively.

While the PTI continued criticising Speaker Ayaz Sadiq for what it called his sheer partisanship, the MQM protested against the prime minister for not listening to its grievances.

Speaking on a point of order on Friday, PTI general secretary Jahangir Tareen chided the speaker right in his face for forwarding to the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) a reference seeking his disqualification.

Mr Tareen said that “according to the speaker, once I was given a show-cause notice by the SECP (Securities and Exchange Commission of Pakistan), hence the reference must be sent to the ECP for further action. It’s a complete lie.”

The PTI lawmaker explained that the SECP had way back sought a clarification which he duly furnished and the issue was settled then and there. He said two of the three companies referred to in the reference were owned by Haroon Aktar, and “I have nothing to do with the third one”.

Mr Tareen claimed he was only being targeted because he was in the business of sugar industry in which Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif himself had direct stakes. “Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif has moved his Chaudhry Sugar Mills to Rahim Yar Khan to dent my business despite the fact I have obtained a stay order against him.”

He said Salman Shahbaz, son of the Punjab chief minister, had in the past stayed at his place, appreciated his business acumen and wanted to learn a few tricks.

In his speech, the PTI leader repeatedly challenged the treasury benches to come up with evidence if he had ever defaulted or got his loans written off. “Only recently, a team of FBR officials literally burnt the midnight oil to determine if I have ever evaded tax, but found nothing,” thundered Mr Tareen.

After his speech, the PTI members walked out of the house to record their protest against the speaker for what the party called his partisan role.

MQM walkout

Despite their best efforts, the MQM lawmakers failed on Friday to get an appointment with the prime minister for redressal of their grievances.

Talking to Dawn, MQM MNA Sheikh Salahuddin said the prime minister had promised to spare some time after the NA session, but after the session he left for his office.

“While sitting in the hall our leaders sought some time from the prime minister and the latter promised. However, he straightway left the Parliament House,” he said, adding: “We just wanted to apprise him of what is happening in Karachi and how the MQM is being targeted.” Soon after the prime minister left the hall, all MQM lawmakers followed him literally making a beeline, but only to return to the house without meeting him.

About Thursday’s by-election in PS-127, Mr Salahuddin said that in the past security had been provided by Rangers and the army during by-polls, but this time no such measure was taken despite repeated requests by the MQM.

He regretted that the banned organisations continued to operate openly, but his party wasn’t allowed to carry out its political activities. Answering a question, the MQM leader said that after the party had delinked itself from London, its victimisation should end now.

Before staging the walkout, MQM leader Dr Khalid Maqbool Siddiqui said his party workers were continuously going missing, alleging that all government agencies were only targeting them. There must be some limit to everything, he added.

“We tried our level best to meet the prime minister during his recent trip to Karachi but to no avail. Even today he promised to listen to us, but left the house without listening to us,” the MQM lawmaker regretted.

Published in Dawn September 10th, 2016