Qureshi tears into opposition for not allowing debate

Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi strongly criticized the opposition; in Thursday’s sitting of the National Assembly for not allowing debate on the 26th constitutional amendment bill; seeking open balloting in the Senate elections to progress forward.

Recently, The government had presented the bill in the lower house yesterday amidst a ruckus created by the opposition which termed the tabling of the bill was a show of the government’s ” mala fide intent”.

Today’s sitting of the National Assembly session; was again rife with shouting and sloganeering with opposition not allowing the lower house to follow its plan for the day; briefly staging a walkout as well.

ALLOW US TO SPEAK!

Several opposition lawmakers were also carrying placards with “chor” (thief) written on them; while some had slogans urging the speaker to allow opposition lawmakers to speak.

However, Qureshi, during his speech which was marred by loud sloganeering and desk thumping by opposition members; condemned the opposition for their behavior and warned that the government has shown

“a lot of patience and respect” but “if you think we will let you bulldoze it (the bill), that will not happen”.

Qureshi says, “This house cannot function” if members refuse to listen like this; He also admonished opposition members for being “two-faced”.

“If they don’t want to listen then a one-sided debate cannot take place.”

While Addressing the bill; the foreign minister says, Prime Minister Imran Khan had “promised the introduction of reforms” and the government wanted to “move forward with transparent reforms”.

He explained, The reason the government had moved a bill for amendments in Articles 59, 63, and 226 of the Constitution.

NO VISION, NO SUPPORT!

Qureshi says, the bill was to uncover the motives of candidates who came to the Senate on the back of “horse-trading”; had no “vision or support from any political party” and to root out and “defeat corrupt practices”.

He questioned how can members of the Senate who
“can be bought and sold” be relied upon to defend the nation’s interests”.

Moreover, The foreign minister reaffirmed that the bill was not being brought out of political convenience to manufacture; a “result [in the Senate polls] of our liking” and was in line with the PTI’s stance of “transparent politics”.

He pointed out in debate , how the PTI had taken action against its members;

“who sold their conscience”; after the results of the 2018 Senate elections and hailed it as a “first in Pakistan’s and [this] Parliament’s history”.