Senate session adjourned amid hullabaloo over AGP’s letter to minister

Pandemonium was witnessed in Senate on Tuesday when Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) Senator Raza Rabbani created an uproar over the letter written by the attorney general of Pakistan (AGP) to the Federal Minister for Law Azam Nazir Tarar on the statement made by Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Justice Umar Ata Bandial regarding a former prime minister, reported 24NewsHD TV channel.

And although the law minister kept giving clarifications, these failed to satisfy the lawmaker who kept remonstrating so much so that Chairman Sadiq Sanjrani had to adjourn the session for an indefinite time period. 

Rabbani was of the view that if the AGP was so supportive of parliament and judiciary, he should defend the parliament in the event of latter’s attack on the former.

Rabbani blasted AGP Barrister Shehzad Ata Elahi for having the courage to explain the actions of the House in a letter explaining the chief justice’s “honest prime minister” remarks. The PPP leader said the AGP had the privilege to come and attend sessions of both Houses. “He is not a member of this House and cannot control the proceedings of this House,” Rabbani said. “The AGP cannot issue clarifications over the proceedings of this House nor can he talk about them.”

Rabbani said when the courts “attack” parliament, even then the attorney general should stand and defend parliament. “Who gave the attorney general the right to comment?” he said, adding if an explanation had to be given, it should have been through the apex court registrar.

Rabbani said AGP clearly had reservations. “The letter written by him should be presented in front of the House for the record,” he added.
The minister told the senator that firstly the CJP had not said that a prime minister was ‘honest’. “His remarks were quoted out of context on social media,” he said, and added that AGP was part of the government, and if his comments had offended him, he apologized to him on his behalf. 

Speaking on the occasion, Leader of the Opposition Shahzad Wasim drew the House’s attention towards the remarks made by a Supreme Court (SC) judge during the hearing of a case related to NAB that the parliament was incomplete. “The government should announce elections so that the parliament could be completed,” he said, adding, “Two provincial assemblies are completely vacant these days; better give the election date.”

He went on to say that either the government should comply with all court orders or simply refuse to accept them. 

Reporter: Rozeena Ali