ISLAMABAD, Jan 28: People's Party Parliamentarians (PPP) parliamentary leader in the Senate Mian Raza Rabbani has asked the government to summon a special joint session of parliament on the issue of alleged nuclear technology transfer and ongoing investigations of scientists.
Talking to Dawn on telephone on Wednesday, the PPP senator said it had become incumbent on the government to take parliament into confidence on the question of the ongoing investigations of the nuclear scientists.
Mr Rabbani, who is also the deputy secretary-general of the PPP, said the government should also disclose the contents of the letter, referred to by it from the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), in the joint sitting of parliament. "There cannot be a more important and sensitive question of national security than the question of nuclear proliferation and till now parliament has been excluded from this affair like a stranger," he added.
Mr Rabbani regretted that despite the fact that the Senate was in session policy statements on the issue were made outside the country or in press conferences.
Replying to a question, he said the respect that this government had for the judiciary was on the record when the government and affiliated organizations were committing open contempt of judgments of the superior courts. The manner in which the courts were being shut out in the matters of the scientists was not only a matter of concern but it also exposed the human rights record of the government, he added.
He said it did not suffice for the government to say that all actions were being taken in the "national interest." This phrase has been misused in the past and instead of inspiring confidence raised many a doubt in the mind of the common man, the PPP senator said.
Mr Rabbani said unfortunately the rules did not provide that the joint sitting could be requisitioned. "Had such rules been there, we would have requisitioned the joint session," he added.
He said if the government considered that the issue was very sensitive then rules provided that in-camera proceedings could be held. He was of the view that if parliament could not be taken into confidence on such an important national issue, then there was no justification for having a parliament.
Replying to a question regarding launching of any protest campaign on the issue, Mr Rabbani said the PPP was in constant touch with the Pakistan Muslim League-N and other parties having representation in parliament. The matter, he further said, would also be taken up in the next meeting of the Alliance for the Restoration of Democracy (ARD) and a decision regarding launching of a campaign or otherwise would be taken in that meeting.
Replying to another question, the PPP leader said no contact had been made by the Muttahida Majlis-i-Amal (MMA) with the ARD on the issue. He said the past record showed that the MMA was in the habit of taking solo flights and it did not believe in joint efforts.