ISLAMABAD: The Senate faced a tumultuous session on Tuesday as the PTI boycotted over the crackdown and detentions of party leaders and workers across the country.
Law Minister Azam Nazir Tarar has said the law enforcement agencies will ensure protection of the residents of Islamabad as per provisions of the law and fascist gangs will not be allowed to invade the federal capital.
Responding to Leader of the Opposition Dr Shahzad Waseem’s objections during Senate session, he said that mature and democratic leadership is now representing the federal government.
“We are the pro-democratic people and believe in upholding the law and the constitution. Law and order will be ensured according to the rules and procedure and the Constitution,” he told the Upper House.
The Law Minister reminded the Opposition Leader in the Upper House of not issuing production orders for parliamentarians like Ali Wazir, Khawaja Saad Rafique, Shahid Khaqan Abbasi, Rana Sanaullah and others when PTI was in power.
Earlier speaking on a point of order, Opposition Leader in the Senate Dr Shahzad Waseem strongly protested police raids on the residences of PTI leaders and workers in Punjab and other parts of the country.
He assured the House that PTI’s long march will be peaceful and no hindrances should be created in the way of our protest. Later, the opposition staged a walk-out from the House.
Senate discord
On Monday, the Senate witnessed a ruckus when the House met for the first time after ouster of the PTI government.
The PTI alleged that certain members of the present setup acted as “facilitators for a foreign power” to remove the Imran Khan-led government.
The PTI members kept on raising slogans against the government throughout the session despite repeated warnings by Senate Chairman Sadiq Sanjrani.
At the outset, Leader of the Opposition Dr Shahzad Waseem said Imran Khan’s government was removed because he had refused to compromise on the national interests.
He said the former prime minister had refused to give bases to a superpower and taccept India’s hegemony. Imran Khan also turned down “orders about where to go and where not to,” he added.
Amidst slogans of “imported government not acceptable”, the PTI leader said it was unfortunate that “a man who should have been indicted over corruption” had been installed as prime minister.
He alleged that criminals were being provided security while no steps had been taken for protecting former prime minister Imran Khan. “God forbid, if anything happens to him, the responsibility shall lie on the government,” he warned.
Azam Nazir Tarar lambasted the PTI members who kept on thumping their desks throughout his speech, saying that only those who have no argument behave like this.
Tarar accused the PTI of trying to distort facts by claiming its government had been removed illegally. He said even the PTI’s allies had parted ways with it because of its flawed policies.
