PML-N legislators accuse NA speaker of not allowing them to raise burning issues

Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) lawmakers on Thursday accused Speaker National Assembly Asad Qaiser of not allowing them to speak during the proceedings of the House on issues like rising inflation and deteriorating economy. Speaking to the media outside the Parliament House, former prime minister and PML-N legislator Shahid Khaqan Abbasi urged the speaker to resign from his position if he cannot conduct proceedings of the House smoothly and impartially.
He said the government is terrified by the opposition and is finding every possible way to mute their voices. "We did not abuse anybody in the House," he clarified, adding that the opposition parties wanted to speak on issues of public importance like increase in prices of gas and electricity, but the speaker did not give them opportunity.
Criticising the government for bowing down before the International Monetary Fund (IMF), he said that his party wanted to speak on it in the National Assembly and demanded transparency from the government in the loan deal. He said the speaker has lost his credibility by muting the opposition members during the session, adding that they are not begging for time to speak in the House rather it is their right to talk about issues of public importance.
The speaker did not allow the PML-N senior member Khawaja Muhammad Asif to speak, he said, adding that he also expunged words of the Pakistan Peoples Party's chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari, besides interrupting him during his speech. He said the speaker seemed to be under pressure from somebody to not allow Khawaja Asif to speak; therefore, he should tender his resignation.
"If the Prime Minister puts pressure on you [speaker], you should resign," he said, "This was just a trailer, and if we were not allowed to talk [in the House], full movie will be screened." Speaking on the occasion, Khawaja Asif said the government has appointed a person as chairman Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) who is known to help people evade taxes. "We announce revolt against this slavery and the government," he said.
Asif said the opposition had extended support to the government for bills, but if they would not be allowed to speak on the issues like inflation, the speaker would not be able to conduct proceedings of the House. Speaking to media persons, Federal Minister for Communications Murad Saeed criticised the opposition members, especially the PPP chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari, for not listening to the treasury benches.
"They just speak on different issues, hurl accusations and walk out of the House," he said. The minister said the treasury members would not allow the opposition to talk if they will not listen to answers. "They don't have courage to listen to the answers," he said. A member from Larkana expressed his views in the Assembly, "We were expecting that he would discuss the cases of AIDS in his constituency," he said.