ISLAMABAD: Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari claimed Thursday that a PTI minister threatened him with martial law the night before the no-confidence vote against ex-Prime Minister Imran Khan was approved.
In his statement to the National Assembly, Bilawal said that a PTI minister had persuaded him to accept early elections or face martial law in the nation.
According to the foreign minister, despite the PTI’s repeated attempts to defeat the no-confidence resolution against the former prime minister, their endeavours were unsuccessful, and the no-trust vote was victorious.
Bilawal then urged a probe of the circumstances leading up to and following the no-confidence vote that resulted in the fall of former Prime Minister Imran Khan.
On April 3, ex-deputy speaker Qasim Suri called the no-trust resolution against Khan “unconstitutional” and dismissed it; as a result, the then-prime minister asked President Arif Alvi to dissolve the assembly, which he did.
However, the then-opposition petitioned the Supreme Court to overturn the government’s decision. On April 7, the Supreme Court deemed the government’s move to dissolve the assembly and Suri’s judgement to be unconstitutional.
The Supreme Court had requested that the vote on the no-confidence motion be held on April 9, but Khan had the speaker extend the session. However, the speaker withdrew from office shortly before midnight.
As the senior member of the panel of chairs, PML-N MNA Ayaz Sadiq presided over a session on April 10 and held the voting no-confidence vote that resulted in Khan’s dismissal.
A high-level committee should look at the matter: Bilawal
“This house must establish a high-level parliamentary commission or committee to investigate the events leading up to April 3, the night of April 9 and 10, and the events that have occurred since [the no-confidence resolution was successful],” Bilawal said on the National Assembly floor.
The PPP chairman stated that “attacks on the constitution and the house” should be taken seriously and that an inquiry should be conducted to discover who is to blame.
“Even the Supreme Court ruled that the previous administration’s actions on April 3 were unlawful. The prior government’s attempt to avoid the challenge of the no-confidence resolution was unconstitutional, and the people of Pakistan deserve accountability “He continued.
According to Bilawal, actions of undermining the constitution have occurred in the past as well, and the parliament has stayed silent on the matter; so, these incidents should be probed.
Bilawal emphasised that the PPP was never in favour of political engineering and that his party’s demand remains that first electoral reforms be implemented, followed by general elections.
“We are a democratic force that demands fair elections. We had previously requested that election changes be implemented first. This is PPP’s unequivocal position “According to Bilawal.
‘The situation in Pakistan is critical.’
Berating Khan, he stated that the former prime minister should be questioned about his performance during his term, the economy, and how his “ego” harmed Pakistan globally, a reference to the PTI chairman’s purported US threat.
“The former prime minister considers himself a’sacred cow’ because he is presently speaking against the constitution, national security, and economic stability,” stated the foreign minister.
According to the PPP chairman, the administration left an economic problem for the present government by leaving sugar, wheat, and energy difficulties.
“There is a catastrophe everywhere we look […] the situation is far worse than we imagined when we were in opposition. The situation in Pakistan is critical — there should be no disagreement on this issue “According to Bilawal.
A resolution denouncing Indian operations in IOJK was passed.
In other business, the National Assembly overwhelmingly endorsed a resolution condemning India’s latest attempt at population engineering in occupied Kashmir via a so-called “delimitation panel.”
The motion was proposed by the foreign minister, who said that India intends to intentionally change the electoral strength of the Muslim majority in occupied Kashmir.
Noting that the commission’s recommendations were rejected by a cross-section of political parties in the occupied region, the resolution categorically rejected the report of the so-called delimitation commission, which seeks to convert the Muslim majority territory into minority territory, further marginalise, disenfranchise, and disempower the Kashmiri population, and advance the BJP’s political and electoral objectives.
The resolution said that India is attempting to advance its unlawful activities on August 5th, 2019 and following steps through the delimitation process.
The resolution reminded that Jammu and Kashmir is an internationally recognised conflict and a long-standing topic on the UN Security Council’s agenda.
It proclaimed that no fake delimitation exercise can replace the legitimacy and indispensability of a free and impartial referendum under the auspices of the UN.
The resolution asked that India honour and fulfil its commitments under international law, UN Security Council decisions, and the Fourth Geneva Convention, while abstaining from causing any unlawful demographic changes in occupied territory.
It urged the Indian government to halt its persecution and extensive abuses of human rights and international humanitarian law in IIOJK immediately and to let the Kashmiri people to exercise their fundamental right to self-determination, as entrenched in Security Council resolutions.
The resolution urged the international community to hold India accountable for egregious and ongoing breaches of human rights and war crimes in IOJK.
The resolution reaffirmed Pakistan’s unwavering commitment and solidarity with Kashmiris, stating that Pakistan will continue to provide all possible assistance in their rightful struggle for independence and self-determination.
It also urged the government to continue exposing and opposing Indian efforts in front of the international world, as well as to emphasise and strongly project the Kashmir cause in all bilateral and multilateral venues, including the UN and the OIC.
