ISLAMABAD, Pakistan: Minister of State for Interior and Narcotics Control Baligh ur Rehman Friday informed the National Assembly that the government would never protect any criminal as no one was above the law.
Responding to point raised by leader of the opposition, Syed Khursheed Ahmed Shah, the minister said the person who scuffled with member of the House Sheikh Rashid Ahmad was not only be taken into custody immediately but FIR has also been registered.
Brushing aside any preferential treatment, the minister said the person was kept in lock up of police station and today was produced before the court as per the law. No preferential treatment was given to the persons, he added.
He said the Presiding Officer immediately gave ruling to arrest the person soon after bringing the incident into his knowledge.
Interior Minister Chaudhary Nisar Ali Khan himself visited the Awami Muslim League Chief and took immediate notice of the incident.
Baligh ur Rehman said the leader of the opposition always talked about the rights of parliamentarians.
Many peoples took selfies and photographs with us and other parliamentarians in various functions, he said.
The minister said PML-N government has full confidence in the judiciary and the Prime Minister presented himself and his family first for accountability despite the fact that Panama papers have around 250 others Pakistanis.
He said the PM’s children were regularly appearing before the Joint Investigation Team.
Meanwhile, Deputy Speaker Murtaza Javed Abbasi on point of self-explanation categorically denied the allegation that entry pass to the person was issued by his office after the incident.
“This I say on oath, if the allegation of issuing pass after the scuffled is proved, I will resign,” he asserted.
He said that he has great regard for the leader of the opposition adding that all members of this august house were equal to him.
Earlier, the Opposition Leader, Khursheed Ahmed Shah again raised the scuffle-issue of a person with Awami Muslim League (AML) chief, Sheikh Rashid Ahmed and question that how that person had entered into the premises of the parliament.
He said that according to initial inquiries, the pass for the said person was issued form the Deputy Speaker’s office so this needed to be clarified.
He said that since it was attack on parliament so we stand united with our colleague, no matter what party he belongs to.
Khursheed Shah claimed that the person was released soon after the arrest which was matter of concern.
It is pertinent to mention here that reportedly a man on Thursday intercepted AML Chief Sheikh Rashid Ahmed at Parliament House entrance and demanded payment of loan, which he claimed Sheikh Rashid had taken from him some years ago.
The Leader of the opposition said that great sacrifices were made to restore the dignity of this parliament, so we must not choose a path that would again lead to compromising its dignity.
Talking about the Qatar issue, the Opposition leader also urged the government to work for the unity of Muslim Ummah by making reconciliation efforts between the conflicting parties.
He said that Pakistan was enjoying deep and cordial relations with Saudi Arabia while Qatar and Iran were also Muslim countries. So instead of supporting any conflicting party, we must support `Muslim World’ by bringing the conflicting parties together.
He said that Israel as well as US were making efforts to create anarchy among Muslim countries to serve their own interests.