ISLAMABAD
Apparently in an effort to strike a conciliatory tone, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf senators have joined the joint session of parliament after a hiatus. The joint session is being presided over by National Assembly Speaker Raja Pervaiz Ashraf.
The PTI senators entered the Parliament House while protesting, and raising anti-government slogans like ‘laathi goli ki sarkar nahi chalay gi’, ‘Imran teray jaanisar, beshumar’ and ‘Zulm ke ye zaabtay hum nahi maantay’. Dr Shahzad Waseem said this was the first time that PTI senators had attended the joint session of parliament. “Our members will discuss national issues,” the PTI senator stated. Dr Waseem said the excuse offered for not holding elections in Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa was a paucity of funds.
He claimed the Constitution has been violated, adding a huge responsibility must be placed on the election commission. He said the commission did not need directions from anybody; it had been directed by the Supreme Court to hold elections, however it made an announcement at midnight and delayed the exercise.
The PTI leader further said the National Assembly has been incomplete for a long time, and should be completed in a legal and constitutional way as soon as possible. Dr Waseem said that in the history of nations, some days are important and serve as milestones.
Later, the media representatives walked out from the press gallery in protest. PML-N’s Murtaza Javed Abbasi said the journalists had legitimate demands that should be fulfilled. The law minister and interior minister did not take action against the violence on media representatives outside the high court, the lawmaker said.
