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Azhar Suhail comes

under fire in NA

RECORDER REPORT

ISLAMABAD: The National Assembly sitting on Thursday was confronted with stormy situations both inside the house and in the press lounge. No business on the agenda could be transacted. The proceedings, whatever they were, were carried out through points of order.

The main subjects raised through these points of order were the threat given to the member from Multan, Makhdum Javed Hashmi, by a police inspector at the main gate of the parliament building and the notice of libel issued by the APP D.G to Kh. Muhammad Asif and an Urdu newspaper. Through this notice he had demanded Rs 500 million each from the National Assembly member and the newspaper.

In the press lounge, the mediamen continued their boycott of the proceedings of the assembly. However in deference to the visit of two ministers, particularly Pir Aftab Shah Jilani, the mediamen made a token appearance of about one minute in the press gallery and were loudly thumped by the members. The pressmen decided to go to the gallery when Pir Sahib said on the floor of the house that/he would personally intervene in the matter of APP staffers and appealed to the mediamen to call off the boycott. The mediamen after a one-minute appearance held a stormy session and decided to form an action committee to pursue the issue even after the conclusion of the current session which is likely to end on the 28th of this month.

Immediately after the curtailed question hour, Mian Amjad Yaseen, rising on a point of order, raised the question of insult and misbehaviour as well as threatening attitude of a police inspector at the main gate of the parliament building. Although, he identified himself that he was a member of the assembly, the police inspector abused him and threatened that he would not allow him to enter the precincts and put his hand on the service revolver, short of pulling it out and pointing it at the member, "this is worse than the Yazeedi era. Rao Qaiser Ali Khan and Ziaur Rahman Lak as well as Tehmina Daultana were beaten and manhandled on the 14th of November last year and not even the First Information Report has been registered so far. The government is acting upon a pre-planned action programme to harass, intimidate and threaten the opposition members, he concluded.

Makhdum Javed Hashmi said that since 1985, he has been a regular visitor to the National Assembly and every one knows him by face. "I identified myself to the police official, but he used insulting language and abused me. This amounts to the abuse of the entire house." Hashmi said is his normal practice not to enter into any argument with the security men, and he even praised them for asking him to prove his identity. He said he has never carried any weapon. The inspector while using derogatory langauge said: "You people come and go but we are permanently posted", narrated Makhdum of Jahanian. He said "I personally don't like to raise the issue of privilege, but I would like the speaker to take action against the high-handedness of the police inspector, as this is a matter of concern for the entire house. He said the government is spreading anarchy and fascism in order to wreak vengeance upon the opposition.

Deputy Speaker Syed Zafar Ali Shah, who was presiding, observed that the matter is very serious and it is violation of the privilege of the National Assembly member. He was not very much inclined to prolong the discussion on the issue, but on the insistence of the opposition, he permitted Raja Nadir Parvez to speak on the subject.

Raja Nadir Parvez said that during the last few months the members of the opposition are being ridiculed, harassed and threatened even within the precincts of the parliament house. According to the conspiracy hatched, the outspoken members of the opposition are being "tackled" one by one. In the first instance, three of the members were severely beaten and manhandled and now Javed Hashmi has been abused and threatened by a lowly police official at the main gate of the parliament. Our dignity is in jeopardy and we are being forced to react. And we know how to react.

Hafiz Muhammad Taqi said it is unfortunate that the speaker did not take notice of the misbehaviour and beating of the National Assembly members. It is the responsibility of the speaker to provide security to the members. Some responsible official from the assembly secretariat should be posted at the main gate to identify the members to avert such incidents in future. In fact "I was also the victim of misbehaviour at the hands of the police at the main gate".

Malik Lal Khan, said he is witness to the incident and the administration, including the police, has become very bold in intimidating the members after the fiasco of 14th of November last year. Had the speaker taken suitable action, incidents like this would not have been repeated.

Ch Jaffar Iqbal said that harassment and intimidation of opposition member is being carried out in a systematic manner and according to a set plan. The late Punjab Chief Minister, Ghulam Hyder Wain, in a similar incident with a provincial assembly member not sacked the concerned police official but also transferred the inspector general of police. "We will not permit the proceedings to continue till some remedial steps are taken by punishing the concerned police official."

In the meantime, Speaker Yusuf Raza Gilani had taken over and asked the interior minister for the course of action to be adopted. The interior minister said it is upto the member to decide what he wanted. The matter could be referred to the privileges committee. He would have taken action, had the incident taken place outside the precincts of the assembly.

Gohar Ayub, Deputy Leader of the Opposition pointed out that the incident took place within the precincts of the assembly and it is upto the speaker to take action.

Nawabzada Nasrullah Khan suggested that a house committee with equal members from both sides under the chairmanship of the deputy speaker be formed to probe into this serious incident.

Mir Balakh Sher Mazari also supported the suggestion of the senior politician.

The speaker observed that the police official concerned was not under his control and no action can be taken against him by the speaker. He asked Makhdum Javed Hashmi as to what he wanted to be done. There are two options, either a privilege motion is moved or a motion is moved for the formation of a house committee.

Makhdum Javed Hashmi said he has full confidence in the chair and agreed to the enquiry by the speaker into the incident. He said that the incident is not a matter of privilege but it is a question which concerns the entire house.

The speaker took upon himself the responsibility of conducting the enquiry.

Mian Raza Rabbani, state minister for law said that the proceedings should be conducted in line with the rules of business and the house must pay equal attention to its prime duty of legislation. We want to take the opposition along in the matter of legislation and we would accommodate their legitimate demands but it should cooperate in the legislative work. However, ever since the session has started the opposition has blocked the legislative business wilfully. It should cooperate with the government in this as is being done in the Senate where the opposition is also very active. So far as the incident with Makhdum Sahib is concerned it is entirely upto him either to move a privilege motion or go for the setting up of a house committee to probe into the incident.

With this aspect of the proceedings over, Kh. Muhammad Asif, who had discussed the libel notice issue with the Speaker was invited to speak.

Kh. Asif said that "I have received a libel notice demanding payment of Rs 500 million from the DG APP while a similar notice has been issued to an Urdu paper.

Under the rules of business and consitution, whatever is said and done inside the house cannot be challenged by any person or even the court. It is ironic that a person who is not worth more than Rs 500 has demanded five hundred million as damages. The man has challenged the authority of the National Assembly and its proceedings which are safeguarded by the constitution and hence he has challenged the constitution. He is a 22-grade official and no government official can take such a measure without prior permission of his superiors. The man has over-valued and over-estimated himself by demanding damages of Rs 500 million by this he has intimidated and threatened a member of the National Assembly which amounts to preventing him from discharging his responsibilities as a representative of the people. The chair should give a ruling whether the proceedings of the house and reported in the press can be made the subject of libel, demanded Kh. Asif.

Dr Sher Afgan said constitutionally, the member is absolutely correct as the proceedings of the assembly are protected by the constitution.

The house concluded the two hours discussion on the Bara situation when the interior minister made a winding up speech which was just the same as he did while winding up the debate in the Senate only a couple of days ago.

The house then adjourned to meet again on Sunday evening.