Islamabad:
The upper house of Parliament witnessed Uproar on Friday when opposition legislators accused the government of politicizing this year’s civil prizes to allegedly favor the ministers and banks of the treasure, while ignoring the deserving figures.
The Senate session, chaired by President Yousaf Raza Gillani, warmed after several cabinet and senators had received national honors on August 14. Opposition members demanded the dissemination of the criteria used for the selection.
Among the winners were Ishaq Dar, Mohsin Naqvi, Musadik Malik, Azam Nazeer Tarar, Faisal Sabzwari, Senator Sherry Rehman, Senator Bushra Anjum, Ahsan Iqbal and Ahad Chema. Irfan Siddiqui and Sarmad Ali will receive their awards on March 23 of next year.
Senator Falak Naz Chitrali questioned: “What war fought atta tarar?” While Senator Humayun Mohmand sarcastically commented that “the war designer, Nawaz Sharif, has not been granted.” PTI Faisal Javed senator said that party’s social networks activists had counteracted the Indian propaganda “day and night”, but were ignored, accusing the government of “destroying holiness” of honors.
Defending the awards, the Minister of Law, Azam Nazeer, Tarar, said that the martyrs and heroes of the Marka-E-Haq had been recognized, including those who lost their homes. He said that some senators had “fought on diplomatic fronts abroad” and thanked PTI’s social networks for their online role in the campaign.
The atmosphere became tense when Senator Faisal Javed raised the omission of the image of Quaid-I-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnaah of the official announcements of Independence Day, showing the image of the founder on the floor of the Senate. “Explain, or we won’t let this house run,” he warned. Tarar expressed ignorance of the matter, called the “hurtful” omission and promised an investigation. Later, the Chamber unanimously adopted a resolution praising the founding parents, the framers of the Constitution and the Armed Forces.
Previously, Senator Zeeshan Khanzada criticized that while prisoners often receive sentences remissions on August 14, PTI leaders received “10 -year prison terms as robbery sales rates.”
Separately, Senator Kamran Murtaza expressed concern about the suspension of mobile internet in 36 districts of Baluchistan and alleged closure of railway, roads and aerial links, warning of damage to the image of Pakistan.
The Minister of Parliamentary Affairs, Dr. Tariq Fazal Chaudhry clarified that only mobile internet services had been suspended from August 6 to 31 due to the “credible security threats” under the Telecommunications Law of Pakistan (reorganization), 1996. He said telephone lines, air operations and road links and railroads that followed functional.
“These measures are taken in specific areas that face threats, not in unrelated regions,” he said, citing past terrorist attacks in the province, even in Jaffar Express and the public school of the army in Khuzdar.
Regarding concerns about Prepaid Internet packages, Dr. Chaudhry promised to address the matter with the ministry in question, ensuring that the credit not used during the suspension period would be taken to the next month.
The session was postponed until Monday night.
