ISLAMABAD: The opposition and treasury benches in the National Assembly on Monday traded barbs over killing of a worker following clashes between PPP and PML-N rallies in Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK).
While the PPP lawmakers entered the Lower House of parliament wearing black arm bands and chanting anti-govt slogans, followed by a walkout, Information Minister Pervaiz Rashid told the House that the incident during the rally in Nakyal occurred due to attitude and provocative statements of the prime minister of Azad Jammu and Kashmir.
Opposition Leader in National Assembly and PPP stalwart Syed Khurshid Shah lamented that the government was continuing with its old dictatorial policies. “Rulers think nobody is able to hold them accountable. Despite our efforts, policy of reconciliation could not move forward,” he said.
He said attack on any political rally was against the spirit of democracy and such incident would weaken the democratic setup in the country. He said that PPP had always settled such issues through dialogue rather than resorting to use force against people.
He alleged that there were still eight months in general elections in AJK but the Kashmir Council was not releasing the development fund. “Strangely, the Kashmir Council has set up an engineering council for the first time and disbursing development funds through it,” he said, and alleged that efforts were being made to snatch mandate of Kashmiri people.
The opposition leader also criticised the government for what he said act of terrorism carried out by the rulers against the PIA workers. “Similar course was adopted in Azad Kashmir,” Shah said.
He said it was deplorable that some ministers were dictating the prime minister through their statements.
National Assembly Speaker Ayaz Sadiq asked Information Minister Pervaiz Rashid and PML-N lawmaker Shiekh Aftab to woo the opposition lawmakers. However, the information minister refused to budge, saying Khurshid Shah has presented a charge-sheet against him.
He said he had great respect for the opposition leader and hoped that Khurshid Shah would do justice in the matter. He said all the parties had accepted the judicial commission formed by the AJK government. “We should wait for the findings of the judicial commission.”
The minister said that his party had full confidence in the judicial commission, adding if the judicial commission held them responsible, they would accept its decision.
“Those responsible for the tragic incident should be taken to task in the light of commission’s findings,” the minister said.
Pervaiz Rashid said although the commission had not yet given any report into the incident, the AJK government had arrested many PML-N workers besides registering cases against them.
He said that the unfortunate incident occurred due to provocative language used in the PPP rally in Kotli. He recalled that he went to Azad Kashmir first time as a political worker to meet with party workers in Bhimber on January 11. “We were given a newspaper of Azad Kashmir which carried a threatening and provocative statement of the AJK prime minister. We did not respond to his statement.”
He said one day he received a phone call from prime minister of Azad Kashmir late night. He said, “The prime minister said something on which I replied to him that he was holding an important office and his post does not suit the words uttered by him.” He made remarks which cannot be repeated in the House, the minister added.
Pervaiz Rashid said posting of AJK police and maintaining law and order was not their responsibility and the AJK prime minister was responsible for it. He said the AJK prime minister should know that PPP rally in Nakyal passed near the property of relatives of Sardar Sikandar Hayat. The language used by the participants of the rally caused the unfortunate incident.
Responding to a point of order, the information minister said fight also erupted in the public meeting of AJK prime minister. People beat up each other and the reason for that was also the attitude of AJK prime minister, he added.
