Pakistan People’s Party Chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari and Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi traded barbs during the National Assembly session on Wednesday.
The PPP chief heavily criticised the federal budget for the net fiscal year during the noisy lower house session, and condemned the way it was passed by the house on Tuesday. After concluding his speech, he staged a walkout from the NA.
Speaking on the floor of the house, Qureshi responded to Bilawal’s speech and walkout. “He spoke a lot about [parliamentary] procedures; I would also like to speak on procedures a bit,” he said.
“Where did he go after making his speech? I want him to return,” he added.
“I would like to ask Bilawal Bhutto to return to his seat; come back to the field and listen to us now,” the foreign minister stated.
The opposition benches in the National Assembly broke into huge applause when the PPP chairperson, with another lawmaker by his side, returned to his seat.
Later, a war of words erupted between the two leaders when Bhutto took a dig at the foreign minister.
“I would like to request the prime minister to order the ISI to tap Shah Mahmood Qureshi’s phone,” taunted Bhutto. “When he used to be our foreign minister, he ran a campaign around the world to have him be the prime minister, instead of Yousaf Raza Gillani,” he added.
“That is why we sacked him from the post of foreign minister,” added the PPP leader.
The foreign minister responded to the PPP leader’s accusations, telling him that he also knew Bhutto “since he was a little kid”.
‘INSULT OF PEOPLE’:
Separately, Bilawal, terming the whole budget session an insult to the people, said that due to the role of the government and the attitude of the speaker, what should have happened did not happen.
Addressing a press conference at the Zardari House in Islamabad, he said, “We were deprived of our rights, we could not even bring a record. The people want to hear what is happening in Lahore, Quetta, Karachi and Multan. You had to give a three-year record, you are lecturing us, and you are trying to fool the nation. All the ministers were cheering on this kind of budget.”
Bilawal said that every step made by the government is benefitting the rich not the poor. He said, Assembly employees are committing suicide. The people for the past three years have been hearing the same thing over and over again, he added.
He said that the public doesn’t want to hear about the NRO and how bad it was before. You have given tax amnesty for these people. This budget is also NRO, there is relief for the rich and distress for the poor. The people must have confidence in the state and democracy. You are giving arrest powers in the name of FBR, he maintained.
The PPP chief said that the PM should give account for past three years, not say what he will do next. “Now the prime minister has no time, the people will hold him accountable. We will hold you accountable for all these wrongdoings. Instead of telling stories, the speech should tell us the solution to problems,” he said.
Bilawal said that Asad Qaiser has been the “worst speaker” in the country’s parliamentary history. “Leader of the House means accountable to the nation and parliament. Shahbaz Sharif could not attend the session due to a death in his family. It is hoped that JUI-F and PML-N will issue show cause notices to their members. Will send notices to members who were not in the House,” he added.
He said that no other agency should interfere in the work of NAB. Unless the chairman and all officers bring their assets, they have no right to check the assets of others, he added.
