The Opposition in Senate on Wednesday walked out of the house protesting against the non-presentation of the National Security Policy in the Parliament, reported 24NewsHD TV channel.
The house was erupted in disorder when Senator Sherry Rehman started a debate on the National Security Policy the details of which were not presented before the house. She tried to get the attention of the house but the treasury members raised a din and did not let her speak. Again and again, she called the attention of Senate Chairman Sadiq Sanjrani to this point, but the hullabaloo raised by the treasury members kept stifling her voice.
The opposition members too joined the chorus and did not let the Senate chairman make a speech. During Sanjrani’s speech, they raised slogans and encircled his dais.
While taking the floor, Senator Sherry Rehman said that the government announced the National Security Policy bypassing the parliament. The decisions of life and death are linked with the national security, she said adding that the government was saying that the economic strategy was a key element in the National Security Policy. She held that the national security could be achieved when the stove of the poor would keep burning and they would get two square meals a day.
She said that the approval for the policy was taken from the National Security Committee but no suggestions were taken from the Parliament.
She said it was not a novel thing to make the economic policy part of the National Security Policy. In 2008, the regional traded was made centre of the security policy. Is it economic strategy that our people should be made accountable to the foreign masters, she asked.
She wondered if it were the security policy to bring Rs600 billion mini-budget or accept the extremist religious party, Pakistan Tehreek-i-Taliban. Or is it the policy to pardon those who have launched a struggle against the state, she pronounced her astonishment.
She stated that the government had bypassed the parliament on the security policy. She asked what kind of policy was it that Pakistan’s sovereignty had been pledged to the foreign masters. She lamented now the State Bank of Pakistan would be accountable to the foreign powers. She questioned would Pakistan be secured after presenting the IMF-dictated mini-budget.
Saying this, the fiery PPP senator, Sherry Rehman walked out of the session.
Leader of the House Dr Shahzad Waseem taunted that when the ‘Men in Uniform’ gave briefing on the national security, the opposition came running to attend the session. Today the foreign puppets are protesting, he added.
Dr Waseem said whenever elections came nearer, politicians started changing their loyalties.
State Minister Ali Muhammad Khan took a swipe at opposition saying neither Imran Khan himself was a corrupt man nor did he allow others to indulge in loot. He said those who raised “Bread, Clothes and House” slogan had not given anything to the people.
Opposition leader in Senate Yousuf Raza Gilani showed his resentment for not getting answers on seven questions put by him to the concerned ministries.
He asked Advisor on Parliamentary Affairs Babar Awan and State Minister Ali Muhammad to goad ministries for not submitting their replies.
Information Minister Fawad Chaudhry informed the upper house through his written reply that 38 people were laid off in the state-run PTV during a period between July 1, 2018 and June 30, 2021. He further said that 10 people were removed from their service on the charge of fake degrees. While taking punitive action, the PTV relinquished services of 20 people and 8 people were laid off on poor performance. However, during this period, 61 people were recruited on vacant posts.
Parliamentary Affairs Advisor Babar Awan told the house that 2,000 people had been recruited on temporary posts during last 8 years and 61 people were hired in three years. Those who were recruited on temporary posts, they are technical experts, he said adding that that the state-run TVs buy private production dramas.
Reporter Waqas Azeem