ISLAMABAD: The Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) — a main ally of the coalition government — continues exerting pressure for the issuance of production order for MNA Ali Wazir, who sits on the treasury benches.

A day after former senator Farhatullah Babar, former Senate chairman Mian Raza Rabbani demanded on Sunday that the National Assembly speaker issue the production order for Mr Wazir so that he could represent his constituency during the budget session.

Mr Wazir, hailing from erstwhile tribal areas, has been in custody for over 15 months on different charges registered with a police station in Karachi.

“It is his constitutional right to attend the session of the National Assembly as long as he is a member. The rule of production of a member was introduced in the Senate and National Assembly to meet a constitutional requirement, as well as to comply with international practices,” Mr Rabbani said.

“Let the speaker reassert the authority of the house of which he is the custodian,” he said. “The PPP demands that the chairman and the speaker must collectively restore parliament’s rightful place in the Constitution, otherwise, history will not forgive us.”

Mr Wazir, who was elected from NA-50 constituency in South Waziristan tribal district as an independent candidate, attended the crucial National Assembly session during the voting on a no-confidence move against former prime minister Imran Khan in April on the intervention of the Supreme Court.

Mr Bhutto-Zardari also earlier wrote to former speaker Asad Qaiser of the PTI to issue a production order for Mr Wazir.

Published in Dawn, June 13th, 2022