CEC's appointment, amendment to Army Act: PML-N says will stay away from negotiations

Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) stalwart Khawaja Asif on Monday announced not to be part of the ongoing negotiations with the government over the appointment of chief election commissioner and the legislation with respect to amendment in the Army Act.

Speaking in the National Assembly, Asif said that the way Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) gave patronage to the recent protest outside ailing ex-premier Nawaz Sharif's residence in UK, shows the government doesn't want opposition's cooperation in smooth resolution of ECP's appointment and legislation in the Army Act.

"The environment you've created is not acceptable...there are so many going on which the Parliament should resolve unanimously like amendment in Army Act, appointment of CEC and couple of other things, so we'll not become part of this," he maintained.

In the same breath, he continued that "we're being given a message of "war" and we're ready to fight that war, but you must know that it will result in complete collapse of the democratic system in the country."

He warned that the PML-N would respond in the "same coin" like PTI had done recently outside Sharif's residence who is there for treatment on the orders of the court.

"For how long you want to drag this acrimony? Stop this madness as we can also pay back in the same tone and our workers will also retaliate in the same tone," he warned.

Responding to Asif's onslaught, Minister for Communications Murad Saeed distanced his party from the protests, but he did say that the rulers who plundered the national wealth will be made accountable. He added that the nation will keep on asking questions about loot and plunder of the past rulers. He said that demonstration was organized by Pakistan Solidarity Front.

He said that the PML-N will have to answer how Sharif family made billions of dollars properties in London, adding the nation will not rest unless they are given the details how these properties were purchased.

Saeed said that Shehbaz Sharif, the opposition leader in National Assembly, plundered the national wealth in the name of paper companies like "Good Nature Company."

Regarding opposition's objection on issuance of ordinances, he said that late Benazir Bhutto's government had issued 357 ordinances within a short span of three years.

"Every democratic government of the past issued 119 ordinances every year, but the PTI government promulgated only 19 ordinances in just 18 months," he lamented.

He said the opposition should talk about issues pertaining to common man instead of protecting corruption of their leadership, adding the way Asif is trying to divert the attention is nothing new as he's nothing to say about his party's recent meetings in London.

He said that the PPP and the PML-N should answer for placing the country under heavy borrowing of Rs 24,000 billion in last ten years, Shahbaz Sharif's TT scandal, and foreign properties of the past rulers.

PPP leader Raja Pervez Ashraf also condemned the attack on the residence of Nawaz Sharif's son in the UK and demanded the government to probe the matter. However, he said accountability should be across the board instead of victimizing political opponents.

The opposition parties also criticized the government for not ensuring presence of jailed opposition leaders despite issuance of production orders by National Assembly Speaker as only Khawaja Saad Rafique was seen in the house.

The National Assembly did not take up its legislative business due to the absence of concerned ministers. Two bills including the Mutual Legal Assistance (Criminal Matters) Bill, 2019 and the Banks (Nationalization) (Amendment) Bill, 2019 were not taken up due to absence of minister for interior and advisor to the PM on finance and revenue. Nine periodical reports pertaining to different standing committees of National Assembly were presented in the house.