Qureshi slams Saad Rafique as ruckus continues in NA

ISLAMABAD: After disruption from Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) members in National Assembly on Wednesday, the session resumed on Tuesday after a delay of two hours.

Addressing Speaker Ayaz Sadiq as Ayaz sahib, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf leader Shah Mehmood Qureshi said that his party was representing eight million people in the Parliament but was not given a chance to present its point of view.

Qureshi seeks apology from Rafique over 'hooligan' remarks

Qureshi said he was forced to address the Speaker as Ayaz sahib because he was seeing a PML-N MNA on the seat, not the Speaker of National Assembly.

PTI leader was disrupted several times from the government benches during his speech. However, Sadiq asked him to continue.

Qureshi grilled Federal Minister for Railways Khawaja Saad Rafique for calling PTI members as ‘hooligans’ and demanded an apology from the minister.

Speaker Sadiq said that he will get the word ‘hooligan’ expunged from yesterday’s proceeding if it was used.

He said PTI strongly believes in democracy for the development of the country. He said PTI will continue to work for strengthening democracy and democratic institutions in the country.

The Speaker said that he is performing his duty impartially and according to the law and providing equal opportunities to both the treasury and opposition benches to speak.

Qureshi said that the Prime Minister should clarify his position in the House regarding the Panama Papers issue.

'Never called PTI members hooligans'

Rafique clarifying his statement said that he never called PTI members hooligans but used the word hooliganism after their behaviour during the session.

He said that the words used against his party leader should be taken back, adding that PTI should apologise for their sit-in in Islamabad.

PML-N leader said that if PTI wants to talk about Panama Papers then there is no problem, adding that his party was in favour of commission from the start.

He said that the Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif gave a general statement regarding Panama Papers in NA earlier.

Rafique said that the opposition should play an active role in the Parliament instead of pulling government’s leg.

He said PTI failed to provide evidence to the Supreme Court. He said since the case is sub-judice, therefore, we all should avoid making statements on the issue and let Supreme Court decide the case.

Rafique said PTI has been levelling baseless allegations since the start of this government but always failed to prove any allegation. He said PTI should pay attention towards its government in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa and improve its performance. 

The Minister for Railways said that PTI should come in the House and work for the betterment of the general public rather than mere levelling allegations. He said PTI should take part in the legislative process for the development of the country.

The House will now meet on Friday morning at 10am.

A stormy NA session was in progress on Wednesday evening with lawmakers from treasury and opposition delivering fiery speeches on the Panama scandal, which has been haunting the Nawaz government for months now.

The opposition members began making noise as soon as the speaker allowed Minister for Railways Khawaja Saad Rafique to speak to the House, after the address of Opposition Leader Khursheed Shah.

The commotion reached its peaks as PTI members of the assembly gathered before the Speaker's dais and tore copies of the agenda apart. They vehemently chanted slogans against the government, effectively making it impossible for proceedings to continue.

The speaker announced 15 minutes break, but after the session resumed they again gathered before him. Upon this, the opposition leader advised Speaker Ayaz Sadiq to adjourn the session, which the latter agreed with.

After the session, Federal Minister for Railway Khawaja Saad had said that Imran Khan’s ‘gang’ on purpose disrupted the session by surrounding Speaker's dais.

“We tried to speak on our turn, but Imran Khan's gang on purpose disrupted the session by surrounding Speaker's dais”, Rafique had said.

Rafique said that government is ready to discuss Panama Papers issue in the Parliament if demanded by the opposition.

“There is no contradiction in the statement given by the Prime Minister on the floor of the House and that given in the Supreme Court”, he said

PTI ends boycott of Parliament

Earlier, the PTI ended its boycott of the Parliament and attended the session which started on Wednesday. 

Speaking to the media ahead of the session, Qureshi said his party wants to uncover “the lies Prime Minister told the Parliament.”

“There is discrepancy in what the Prime Minister said in the Parliament and in his replies to the Supreme Court. We want clarification on this,” Qureshi said.

He said that the privilege of members of the Parliament had been adversely affected due to this.

The PTI leader called for suspending the agenda of Parliament and privilege motion to be brought under discussion.

Qureshi said 2017 would be the year of elections and his party is preparing for it. A parliamentary board would be established which would scrutinise names of intending candidates.