People who live in glass houses should not throw stones, though it is a literary proverb, yet it exposes the real face of one who claimed that he is a perfect besides his all wrongdoings, these words seemed right when PML-N was given a tit for tat response by the PPP's parliamentarians on criticising President Asif Ali Zardari's recent public address and FIA notices to former Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani and his son Abdul Qadir Gilani.
Though the proceeding of the National Assembly on Wednesday started with an hour delay and majority of senior leadership across the divide was not present, the proceeding got momentum when Gilani Junior (Abdul Qadir Gilani) demanded of the house to take serious action against the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA), which has summoned former Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani and him on November 16 in Hajj corruption case.
The MNA, while lodging compliant with the chair, said that the Federal Investigation Agency was threatening him while nobody including the treasury benches took notice of it, adding that he along with his brother, MNA Ali Musa Gilani, would resign from the National Assembly if the excesses continued against them. Despite the fact that Supreme Court has cleared him in the Hajj scam, the FIA was hurling threats, he added.
PPP parliamentarians, including chief whip Khurshid Shah extended full support to Abdul Qadir Gilani and demanded of the Speaker to summon the Director General DG FIA to appear before the house.
PML-N Parliamentarians, while criticising the demand of the treasury benches, said that the FIA has been empowered by the government and the agency has the right to investigate the matter.
Amid criticism of the PML-N parliamentarians, who desired that former Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani and his son Abdul Qadir Gilani should appear before the investigation team, the Chairperson of the House, Yasmin Rehman passed the ruling that DG FIA along with officials should appear before the privilege committee of the parliament with in 48 hours.
The house also witnessed heated debate between treasury and opposition benches on President Asif Ali Zardari public address in Mandi Bahauddin. PML-N parliamentarian blamed the government of spending Rs 50 million on advertisement campaign of the President's recent address, adding that being a President of the country, Asif Ali Zardari does not have the right to address public gathering for political gains.
The President while addressing the public gathering said that general elections would be free and fair and to be held in time, adding that electoral rolls were made in such a way that chances of rigging to be eliminated.
Replying to the allegation levelled by the PML-N parliamentarian, Federal Minister for Information Qamar Zaman Kaira said that how can the PML-N criticise the government of using large chunk of money for advertisement campaign when it is evident that Punjab government has used national exchequer for the advertisement of Laptop scheme.
"This scheme of free laptops is nothing more than a political stunt. It's the waste of taxpayer's money and it involves huge amount of corruption in terms of Advertisement campaign" he added.
Federal Minister for Law and Justice, which is working on much awaited National Accountability bill 2012 has moved another bill to criminalize the dealings in the illegal business of fake prize bonds incurring loss to public in terms of investment. The bill was passed by the NA.
As it is eminent that political activities are on full swing in the country ahead of general election and majority of the parliamentarians are busy in their constituencies to muster public support, yet there are piles of unfinished business in the National Assembly, which could take the shape of law if attendance remain up to the mark in the lower house.