Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) MNA former Justice Iftikhar Ahmad Cheema said on Monday that menace of corruption has penetrated all institutions and there is no concept of getting things done without greasing palm of the officials. Taking part in the budget debate in the National Assembly, he said that corruption is rampant in every institution and there needs to be taken serious steps at the government level to curb it.
"Committees comprising judges should be constituted at district levels to hold summary trial of those involved in corruption," he suggested, adding that Chief Minister Punjab Shahbaz Sharif is busy in mega projects and not paying proper attention to eliminating corruption from the government departments.
"Once Shahbaz Sharif used to be a nightmare for the corrupt elements, but now he is looking after mega projects only," he said. Cheema also suggested the government to constitute reconciliation committees at the police station level for provision of inexpensive and speedy justice to the masses. The government should take appropriate steps to secure release of Dr Afia Siddique from the United States of America, he said.
Earlier, speaking on a point of order in the house, Leader of Opposition in the National Assembly Khursheed Shah said the government is taking the things to the point where sovereignty of the country could be jeopardised. "Whatever is happening now in this country has been a continuity of the things being done for the last four years," he said and added, "We are now face to face with our institutions".
Shah said the budget is a small thing to be discussed in the house rather the government should open its eyes to see whatever is happening around Pakistan in the region. About a recent statement of former Senator Nehal Hashmi, he said that he is not alone in targeting the institutions rather "it is a mindset that did attack the judiciary in the past too."
"The situation is being driven to the point where clash between the institutions is quite imminent," he said, claiming that all opposition parties are united in their stance over the budget 2017-18 that it is not a people-friendly budget. About the load-shedding, he said that Sindh province is facing acute shortage of water due to 10 to 12 hours daily load-shedding. He also criticised the government for labelling Sindh as "electricity thief," warning that Sindh may also say that their natural gas is being stolen in Punjab.
Afterwards, the combined opposition staged a walkout from the house for the consecutive fifth day to protest against the government's adamant position of not giving live coverage to budget speeches of the opposition on state media, Pakistan Television News.
Later, speaking outside the Parliament House, Khursheed Shah said that Finance Ministry has allocated some Rs 222 billion discretionary funds for the Prime Minister that would be used for the general election's campaign.
He also urged the government to look into the issue of some foreign students who have been languishing in jail for their over-stay in Pakistan. Responding to these points, Minister for Defence Production Rana Tanveer said the opposition parties should give their budget proposals instead of protesting and walking out of the house daily. "People are watching conduct of the opposition closely and they condemn their non-democratic attitude," he said.
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