Alleged links with proscribed outfits: ministers, treasury members walk out from NA

In an unprecedented move, a bunch of government ministers and dozens of treasury members, on Thursday staged a walkout from National Assembly in protest for being accused by a civilian spy agency of having alleged links with defunct sectarian and militant outfits. A list of 37 parliamentarians was broadcast by a private television channel last week claiming that the Intelligence Bureau (IB) has investigated links of these legislators with the proscribed outfits.
The members also threatened the government of continued walkout from the House until it is clarified through a public statement that the letter written to the IB for their investigation was forged. The list contained the names of members of National Assembly and Senate including federal ministers Riaz Hussain Pirzada, Awais Leghari, Zahid Hamid, and Deputy Speaker National Assembly Murtaza Javed Abbasi.
Minister for Inter-Provincial Co-ordination Riaz Pirzada led the members whose names have appeared in the list to stage a walkout from the House and demanded the government investigate the issue at the earliest. Members of the opposition parties also extended their support to the protesting ministers and treasury members by thumping their desks.
Speaking on a point of order in the House, Pirzada questioned as to why the government has not investigated the matter so far. "Why was this letter initiated?" he questioned, saying, "The Prime Minister's House should clarify it." He also read out the list of the parliamentarians in the House that are linked to the proscribed outfitss by the Investigation Bureau Pirzada said that his forefathers had rendered sacrifices for Pakistan and it was shameful for him to be linked with sectarian and militant outfits by a civilian spy agency.
The minister also urged the Speaker to form a House committee to investigate the issue, adding that they will continue their protest until the matter is not clarified through a public statement by a minister or the Prime Minister's House. "Being a federal minister, I walk out from the House," he said. A score of other members including Federal Minister Awais Leghari whose names have appeared in the list followed him and staged the walkout.
Another PML-N member whose name appeared in the list, Dr Shezra Mansab Ali, also urged the government to issue a strong retraction of the letter linking members of the parliament to the proscribed outfits. "This issue needs to be resolved on an urgent basis," she said, adding that the list was apparently aimed at maligning them.
She said that it was a serious matter and could have numerous implications for the members. "If the letter is fake, the government should also write the same to the embassies," she said, adding that their children studying abroad would have difficulties in getting the visas due to the alleged list. Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) member Shah Mahmood Qureshi also questioned intentions of the government for directing the IB to investigate links of the government members.
He said the government is trying to install the director general IB as chairman of National Accountability Bureau who is involved in probing the parliamentarians. "It is for the first time that ministers and treasury members have walked out of the House," he said. Speaking on a point of order, former Prime Minister Mir Zafarullah Jamali said that Nawaz Sharif had always said he would accept the verdict of the Supreme Court in the Panama Papers case but now "unfortunately an indirect war has begun."
He said that Pak Army has been called in whenever there is a flood, earthquake or any other natural disaster, but now it is being maligned. Responding to all these points, Law Minister Zahid Hamid said the issue of the IB letter was also discussed in the cabinet meeting and the Prime Minister directed him to ensure action in the matter.
"I talked to the DG IB (about the letter) and he termed it a forged document," he said, adding that a formal complaint has also been lodged with Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority (Pemra) to probe the matter. Earlier, Speaker National Assembly Ayaz Sadiq also tried to pacify the enraged Riaz Hussain Pirzada by offering him a meeting with the DG IB in his chamber, but failed.