The Opposition on Thursday staged a token walkout from the National Assembly in protest against the PML-N government for not clarifying the objectives of a friendly Muslim country on giving $1.5 billion assistance to Pakistan. The token walkout of the Opposition was also against the increasing petroleum prices and off loading of Awami Muslim League (AML) President Sheikh Rasheed Ahmed from a Canada-bound PIA plane.
But the Opposition party Jamaat-i-Islami (JI) and Aftab Ahmed Khan Sherpao did not join hands with Pakistan Peoples' Party (PPP), Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) and Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) for staging the walkout from the House against the government.
PTI Chairman Imran Khan said, "What would be the objective of $1.5 billion aid and what Pakistan would pay as its cost. We know a war between Shia and Sunni sects is being fought at international level. What would be the impact of this aid on Pakistan? We have bitter experience about the cost paid by Pakistan in the past."
Sheikh Rasheed Ahmed while speaking on the floor of the House said that his off loading from the plane was tantamount to breach of the privilege of the House and if the government did not take notice of the incident then such incidents would be repeated even with the treasury members of the Parliament in future. He said that the government either did not clearly inform the House about what was the objective of the friendly country for giving $1.5 billion in aid to Pakistan.
He said that the government had increased the electricity tariff while the people were already facing severe price hike. He said that on one hand, the prices of cooking oil and other commodities had increased while on the other hand, the government had announced that it would not increase pension in coming budget. He said, "We stage a token walkout from the House in protest against the government on these issues."
Afterwards, the opposition parties staged a token walkout from the House in protest against the PML-N government. Later, Parliamentary Secretary on Finance Rana Muhammad Afzal Khan said that the finance minister already categorically stated on Wednesday that a friendly country had given $1.5 billion to Pakistan as a gift without any conditionality. He said that the finance minister also categorically stated that Pakistan would neither engage in a military operation in another country nor provide weapons to that country. He said that Shah Mehmood Qureshi was satisfied after the statement of the finance minister in the House. About the issue, Sheikh Rasheed, the Parliamentary Secretary said that Sheikh was off loaded from the plane under the law which was signed by the previous PPP government.
Federal Minister for Science and Technology, Zahid Hamid said while responding to the Opposition that $1.5 billion was just a grant without any condition and the finance minister had made it clear. Federal Minister for Kashmir Affairs and Gilgit-Baltistan Muhammad Barjees Tahir said that Shiekh Rasheed had challenged the PML-N government that he (Sheikh) would resign if the value of dollar came down from Rs 105 to Rs 98. Sheikh should have resigned because the value of dollar has come down to Rs 97, he said.
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