LAHORE: Opposition in the Punjab Assembly staged a walkout on the arrest of Sindh Assembly Speaker Agha Siraj Durrani and offered to help the government change the National Accountability Bureau’s ‘controversial’ laws.

As Thursday’s proceedings began, PPP’s parliamentary leader Hasan Murtaza said on the point of order that there had been double standards in the NAB’s action against the opposition members. “There are NAB’s inquiries against Prime Minister Imran Khan, Defence Minister Pervaiz Khatak and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Mahmood Khan. If the NAB’s inquiry is criteria to arrest someone, then these three should also be arrested,” he demanded and asked what message had been given to the people of the small province on the arrest of Mr Durrani.

The PPP lawmakers who were wearing black armbands against Durrani’s arrest in income beyond means case walked out of the House along with the PML-N members. They chanted slogans against the Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf government and the prime minister. They said it was an “unholy” alliance of the government and NAB against the opposition.

The opposition members returned to the House on the assurance that they would be allowed to speak on the issue of Mr Durrani.

PML-N’s Khalil Tahir Sandhu said it was his party’s mistake not to amend the NAB’s controversial laws that were introduced by retired Gen Pervez Musharraf. He said PM Khan and NAB were on the same page with regard to latter’s action against the opposition leaders. “The NAB had taken the prime minister onboard before the arrest of Mr Durrani and PTI’s Aleem Khan,” he claimed.

Azma Bokhari of PML-N said ‘selective accountability’ was under way in the country. “It is very easy to arrest politicians in the country,” she said.

PML-N’s Khwaja Salman said the government and opposition should sit together to amend the NAB laws. Zakia Shahnawaz of the PML-N said the NAB officials who harassed the family of Mr Durrani should be held accountable.

PML-N’s Mian Naseer said: “We also condemn the arrest of Aleem Khan by the NAB. The opposition is ready to cooperate with the government to amend the NAB laws. Today the NAB arrested the Sindh Assembly speaker, tomorrow it may arrest the Punjab Assembly speaker too,” he said.

Aleem Khan defended himself against the NAB charges. Both Aleem Khan and Salman Rafique are attending the session after Speaker Pervaiz Elahi issued their production orders.

Law Minister Basharat Raja said the PML-N and the PPP had the opportunity to change the NAB laws during the last 10 years but they did not. “We also think that there is a need to revisit the NAB laws,” he said and clarified that accountability was being done of politicians and others as well. The army and judiciary had their internal accountability system, he said.

The PPP wanted to table a resolution to condemn the arrest of Mr Durrani but it was rejected by the majority vote in the House.

The speaker adjourned the proceedings till Friday after an opposition member pointed out quorum.

Published in Dawn, February 22nd, 2019