Leader of the Opposition in National Assembly Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan on Monday questioned the role of intelligence agencies in the country's politics especially in the release of Raymond Davis and suggested a 'Truth and Reconciliation Commission' be formed to respond to the internal and external challenges above party's affiliations.
Opening debate in National Assembly on the President Asif Ali Zardari's address to the joint sitting of the Parliament, Chaudhry Nisar described the presidential address as 'disappointing' that did not take into account the problems being faced by the people.
Strongly criticizing the government for its failure to address the internal and external challenges being faced by the country, he suggested that Truth and Reconciliation Commission as proposed in the Charter of Democracy (CoD) be set up to cope with the serious challenges without party's affiliations and tender apology to the nation for the past mistakes.
He particularly criticised the role of the federal government and intelligence agencies in the release of the American national Raymond Davis, who was involved in murder of two Pakistanis and asked the Prime Minister to take the nation and the parliament into confidence on the issue of Davis release. He further said that President Zardari did not think it appropriate to take the nation and the parliament into confidence in his address to the Parliament.
He suggested either Parliamentary Committee or a Judicial Commission be constituted to bring the truth regarding the release of Davis to fore. "The federal as well as Punjab government should explain their positions before the proposed parliamentary body or judicial commission. It proceeding should be open for the media so that the nation should know the truth," he said. "The 'other forces' that played key role in the release of Davis should also explain their position and tell the nation that what interest of the country was served with his (Davis) release," he asked without naming any intelligence agencies, but added that, "You gave extension to those who staged the drama of Davis release," he said.
He said that now the issue of Davis release should not be kept secret adding that his party's leadership has pledged to take the matter to its logical conclusion. "How he (Davis) was released despite his name on Exit Control List?" he questioned, and also asked the ruling party that it was not elected by the people to bow down to the international pressure.
The Leader of the Opposition also blamed the country's intelligence agencies for funding 'particular' political forces, saying that they were also engaged in making different political fronts. The Leader of the Opposition particularly criticized the imposition of Rs 53 billion new taxes through presidential ordinances and termed it snatching powers of the National Assembly with regard to money bill. He opposed the recent increase in the POL prices, adding that it was injustice with the poor masses that are already living miserable life due to price hike and inflation.
He said that the government had received Rs 163 billion during the last six months on account of petroleum levy, which he described as 'Jagha Tax'. The House also witnessed chanting of slogans by opposition members, saying 'no to new taxes' and 'withdrawal of increase in POL prices". The Leader of the Opposition also lashed out at the government for opening the 32-year old case of former Prime Minister Zulfikar Ali Bhutto, saying that the government is being misguided by its legal advisors.
Chaudhry Nisar criticised the role of Law Minister Babar Awan without naming him but said that some ministers were advising the government in wrong direction. "Those who celebrated the judicial murder of Zulfikar Ali Bhutto and distributed sweets and those who tagged the former dictator Zial-ul-Haq as "Shaheed" are now advising the government to tell the judiciary to reopen the 32-year old case," he said, adding that even the cabinet members and the PPP's central executive committee were not aware of the killers of the tragic murder of Benazir Bhutto. He also flayed the government for confrontation with the judiciary and not implementing its decisions, adding that despite government's tall claims to pursue policy of reconciliation, the rulers were repeatedly attacking judiciary and gagging the media.
He condemned the imposition of curbs on media and asked the government to tell the parliament why a particular media group was being targeted. He announced that his party would start protest inside the House against the curbs on media from Wednesday.