Pakistani Lawmakers Back PM Amid Protests

Senior political leaders in Pakistan on Tuesday threw weight behind Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, and condemned two opposition leaders for staging protesting sit-ins against the government that has disrupted life in capital Islamabad.

Thousands of supporters of Imran Khan of Pakistan Tehrik-e- Insaf (PTI) party and religious scholar Tahir ul Qadri have set up protest camps in Islamabad since August 14. They are demanding resignation of Nawaz Sharif.

The special joint session of the parliament was convened to discuss the ongoing political unrest and to float suggestions how to deal with the protesters.

Taking part in the debate, senior politicians expressed grave concerns of acts of violence by the protesters who stormed the building of state television on Monday and broke main gate of the parliament house days earlier.

Opening the debate on the motion, the Interior Minister Ch. Nisar Ali Khan said some of these protesters are "trained terrorists" and belong to a militant outfit and many have pistols.

"The protests are neither democratic nor political but mutiny against the state institutions and the country," the minister said.
He informed the House that the protesters of two parties not only damaged the machinery of the PTV on Monday but also took away their eight cameras worth millions of rupees.

Opposition leader in the Senate, Ch. Aitzaz Ahsan speaking next said all the opposition parties' standby the government for democracy and the supremacy of constitution.

Ahsan called for the prime minister to remain firm in his resolve of not resigning from the office as nobody can force him to do so. He said low attendance in the sit-ins clearly proves that the people have rejected the long and revolution marches of the two opposition parties.

Pashtoon nationalist leader Mahmood Khan Achakzai said that storming of the parliament by the protesters amounts to sedition and terrorism and the security forces should be given instructions to clear the area of these saboteurs.

Chief of Jamiat ulema-e-Islam party Maulana Fazal ur Rehman, said the political parties stand firm to foil all the conspiracies against the democracy.

Terming the demands of protesting leaders unjustified, he said it is the constitutional and democratic requirement that Nawaz Sharif stays as the prime minister of the country and continue to represent the parliament.

Javed Hashmi, who parted ways with Imran Khan's PTI party, taking part in the discussion, said he had opposed his party's decision to march on the prime minister's House.

Hashmi said the parliament should be made more strong and meaningful for resolution of problems faced by the common men. He also announced resignation from the National Assembly seat in his speech.

Khalid Maqbool Siddiqui of Muttahida Qaumi Movement speaking next condemned attacks on the state buildings by the protesters, saying use of violence is not the appropriate way to get demands fulfilled.

The joint session will resume debate on Wednesday. The session will continue debate for a week. (Cihan/Xinhua)