The National Assembly witnessed a tense situation on Monday as PML (N) lawmakers expressed their reservations over some anti-Nawaz statements attributed to the President and the party asked the government not to turn the President House into a political ring.
Leader of the opposition in NA and central leader of PML (N) Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan hit out at president for statements attributed to him which were published in a section of press on Monday. Prime Minister Syed Yousuf Raza Gilani and Information Minister Sherry Rehman tried their level best to keep the PML (N) outcry within certain limits.
The information minister gave a clarification on what was reported by certain newspapers, which Chaudhry Nisar was least interested to listen to and left the house when she was giving detailed response to assertions of PML (N) leader.
It was reported on Monday that President had taken a dig on those leaders "who are now championing the cause of democracy and demanding repeal of 17th Amendment. These leaders had chosen to run away from the country after seeking forgiveness from the military dictator."
Nisar took serious notice of the report, though the President was not quoted directly. Ms Rehman said that the PML (N) leadership must have read this news item in detail. The President's spokesman, she said, had contradicted the report. The spokesman's denial is part of what she said a "baseless" report. We do not believe in war of words, the information minister said, adding that the government does not believe in personal attacks against anybody.
Earlier, Chaudhry Nisar said that PML (N) reserved its right of reacting to irresponsible statements from presidency. "President House is symbol of federation. That's why we opposed Zardari being co-chairman of PPP to become head of the state," he added.
Nisar called upon the government to stop joking with the people. "Let us take some practical steps to resolve the crises both in Swat and Fata," he said. Nisar said that mere passing of resolutions by the Parliament would not work. "What happened to unanimous resolution passed during the in-camera joint session of the parliament?" he said. That unanimous resolution, he said, was prepared after 11 hours long deliberations among the parties present in the parliament, he said. Swat was part of that unanimous resolution, but there is no action taken by the government to implement it, according to the PML (N) leader.
Sherry also rejected a report that Zardari supposedly alleged that journalists are biggest terrorists. She said that PPP was the party that always stood for media freedom. She admitted that the government was being advised to take some media organisations to court. But since we believe in media freedom, the government will never do that, she added.
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