Amid calls for reconciliation in the Senate, PML-N lawmaker Mushahid Hussain Sayed on Friday called for the release of former prime minister Imran Khan and the allocation of reserved seats to the PTI’s new home Sunni Ittehad Council (SIC).
In a speech days before his retirement on completion of six-year term, Senator Mushahid recalled that he had also advocated the release of former president Asif Ali Zardari and ex-prime minister Yousuf Raza Gilani during the rule of late dictator General Pervez Musharraf.
“Even today, I, first of all, demand that Imran Khan be released. He is a political prisoner,” he said.
Noting that a “new chapter” had commenced in the country following the February 8 general elections, Senator Mushahid said there was a need for a “healing touch”.
“Include everyone and give a general amnesty,” he said, claiming that a “general amnesty was even given to the TTP (Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan) who killed our children”.
“And the reserved seats that the PTI deserves, it is their right and they should get it; they should not be deprived of it,” he added.
Hussain further demanded that all missing persons across the country should be recovered.
Dar calls for national reconciliation
Meanwhile, PML-N leader Ishaq Dar expressed dismay at the ruckus witnessed in the National Assembly in recent days and urged political parties to work towards “reconciliation”.
“What we have witnessed in the last few weeks, this should be handled,” he said. “A symbolic protest is fine but by doing it all the time, the message being sent to the world is not good.
“You have seen what happened in the National Assembly, but this house has its sanctity, symbolism [and] position, which warrants that even if we have to protest, we have to do so within the parliamentary limits, with thoughtfulness and consideration,” the PML-N leader said.
Stating he was a “big believer of reconciliation”, Dar recalled incumbent Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s call for national reconciliation and stressed that political parties should not have any “personal enmity” amongst each other.
“We are working for the system [and] for Pakistan and with that spirit, if there is something against our national interest, then we should definitely stop each other.
“Charter of Democracy and Charter of Economy are the need of time,” the PML-N stalwart asserted.
Dar also called for the implementation of the “unfinished agenda” of the 2006 Charter of Democracy. “There is also some unfinished agenda of that [charter], including Truth and Reconciliation Commission [and] a constitutional court, absolutely needs to be implemented.
“And with the environment today; a Truth and Reconciliation Commission will help greatly in that. The agenda of that should be extended then,” he added.
Production orders of PTI’s Ejaz Chaudhry
During the session today, Barrister Ali Zafar talked about all the PTI leaders who were languishing behind bars, particularly highlighting Ejaz Chaudhry.
He said Chaudhry had the right to cast his vote in the presidential elections, scheduled for tomorrow. Zafar pointed out that the PTI leader had been behind bars for months in cases pertaining to May 9 riots.
“Inclusion of Ejaz Chaudhry in the Senate session is necessary,” Zafar asserted, adding that it would be “shameful” if the house could not summon a senator for the presidential election.
“Why should we seek help from the courts for this?” he asked.
Stating that Chaudhry was ill and facing liver problems, the PTI senator demanded the formation of a medical board to conduct a check-up of the jailed politician at the Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences.
Subsequently, Deputy Chairman Senate Mirza Muhammad Afridi, who was chairing the session, directed that Ejaz’s production orders be issued.
“Ejaz Chaudhry has a right to cast his vote in the presidential elections,” Afridi said.
