ISLAMABAD, Nov 16: The combined opposition in the Senate on Wednesday protested against what it called government’s lukewarm response to allegations of supply of substandard tents to earthquake victims and suspicions about the opening of the Line of Control after a statement by the Pakistan ambassador to the US that the decision had been taken before the earthquake.
The opposition also protested against Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz’s statement that the parliamentary committee on earthquake relief would work even without participation of the opposition’s parliamentary leaders.
During the debate on last month’s earthquake and its aftermath, government lawmakers admitted that the government was slow in responding to the quake because it lacked a proper disaster management system as the opposition said that many lives could have been saved had the army reached the affected areas in time to start rescue operation
Prof Khurshid Ahmed of the MMA pointed out that while the government linked the agreement with India on the opening of five points on the LoC to allow people on both sides to cross the line to help quake victims and move relief goods, Ambassador Jehangir Karamat had said it was a pre-planned decision which had nothing to do with the earthquake.
Leader of opposition in the Senate Mian Raza Rabbani on a point of order raised the issue of a tender for supply of tents incommensurate with the needs of winter to benefit a minister who owned a textile mills.
He said the prime minister was continuously saying the proposed parliamentary group to oversee the use of quake fund would be from the National Assembly which meant he denied representation to the Senate.
Similarly, he said, despite being pointed out earlier, there was still no responsible official from the relief commission or the Earthquake Rehabilitation and Reconstruction Authority to take note of the speeches delivered in the upper house on the quake and its aftermath.
Mr Rabbani later led a joint walkout from the house to express resentment of the opposition.
Mushahid Hussain Syed of the ruling Pakistan Muslim League assured the opposition that responsible officers from relief commission and Erra would attend future session of the Senate and the government would consider the proposals forwarded by opposition lawmakers.