The Awami National Party (ANP) on Tuesday came under sharp attack during the joint-sitting of parliament with members from major opposition political party, Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) slamming the party for using 'derogatory' language against Pakistan.
The verbal clash between members of the two rival political parties began when ANP Senator Haji Muhammad Adeel while speaking on a point of order said: "We don't need this kind of Pakistan." The members of both the parties were so furious that none of them wasted even a single second in digging out the 'ill-deeds' of their respective leadership. The PML-N members were on their toes shouting slogans against ANP, calling them 'traitors' while the ANP said they were the people who "ran away from the country with their tails between their legs in difficult times."
Adeel was hell bent on throwing venom like infuriated snake in the eyes of PML-N leadership, saying that they had no courage to stand up against the odds as they left the country by signing a deal with a military dictator, who snatched power from them.
He said that after signing the recommendation on national security regarding new rules of engagement with the US, the PML-N is now trying to kill two birds with one stone. "If you do not have the courage, you should not have signed the recommendations...on one hand you are trying to appease the US while on the other you are trying to satisfy the masses through your duplicity," he added.
He accused PML-N of being in habit of changing sides. As was witnessed that sometimes they sit with Jamaat-e-Islami and another occasion they try to gain the favours of some other parties....this reflects their moral bankruptcy, he added. This became unbearable for Captain Muhammad Safdar (Retd) of PML-N, who said that he feels ashamed to address a man of father's age not to use such a language against Pakistan. "It is Pakistan which has given us dignity, respect and honour....I feel ashamed while addressing a man of my father's age how to demonstrate when you are talking about your beloved homeland [Pakistan]," he added.
"Your approach of politics is not long lasting," he said, adding that they (ANP) succeeded in changing the name of NWFP by taking advantage of majority in parliament, which was not acceptable for other areas of the province but the day is not far when they would rename it through referendum.
The PML-N MPs also protested when Haji Adeel pointed out towards the water agreement of 1991. He said Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa holds the right to the water which was being provided to Punjab as a result of the said agreement. Earlier, taking part in the debate‚ Yasmeen Rahman of PPP said it was a significant development that the incumbent parliament was given briefings on national security and now it was being entrusted with the responsibility of formulating guidelines for the foreign policy. She said the parliament should determine common interests of Pakistan‚ US and Nato countries. The House was adjourned to meet again on Thursday at 5pm.