ISLAMABAD: The Senate session, for the second straight day on Thursday, was marred by acrimony between the ruling coalition and PTI as both expressed misgivings about each other’s willingness to bring down the political temperature.

While PTI lamented the continued persecution of its workers, the government slammed the opposition party for staging a “violent protest” in the capital.

PTI’s parliamentary leader in the Senate, Barrister Ali Zafar, said confidence-building measures were “critically important” for dialogues.

“Our workers are still being arrested”, he said and asked the government to create a conducive environment for talks.

Zafar laments continued persecution of his party’s supporters; Irfan says right to protests ‘not unconditional’

He said the government should “apologise” for its actions during the party’s protest in the federal capital last month, as it has been confirmed that security forces “indiscriminately fired” at protesters.

He chided members of the federal cabinet for issuing contradictory statements over fatalities, injuries and arrests during the protest and insisted that the PTI protesters were peaceful and unarmed.

The PTI is “ready to fight legal battles” involving its workers and leaders, including Imran Khan, and continue the struggle for people’s fundamental rights.

The PTI leader reiterated the call for an independent commission to probe the events of last month and said doors for dialogue must not be shut.

The exercising of the fundamental right to protest cannot be branded as terrorism, he said, alluding to the government’s criticism of his party’s agitation.

‘Only way forward’

In reply, PML-N’s parliamentary leader Irfan Siddiqui said the right to protest was not “unconditional”.

People cannot raise the slogans of “jihad” at a protest in any country, and protesters are not allowed to bring with them sticks, nails and slingshots anywhere in the world.

He claimed the government was still willing to hold talks with the PTI as there was no other way forward.

“Dialogue and reconciliation are the only solution to these problems”, he remarked.

PPP parliamentary leader Senator Sherry Rehman said her party always supported dialogues, but PTI remained averse to it.

She said the party was talking about freedom, but their actual motive was “immunity from justice for a single individual”.

“The PPP has never sought the type of freedom you are asking for. Freedom always comes with responsibility”, she remarked.

She accused PTI of staging a violent protest and asked it to apologise for May 9 events.

“You brought the country’s stability to a tipping point and left power after laying economic landmines”, she claimed. “Even today, you [PTI] are giving calls for civil disobedience.”

ANP’s parliamentary leader in the Senate, Aimal Wali Khan, questioned the law extending the army’s chief’s term to five years.

“The house, in its last session, extended the tenure of an important position, but the entire system lacks the courage to talk about that legislation,” he said while referring to the amendments made to the Pakistan Army Act, 1952 last month.

All three major political parties — PML-N, PTI and PPP — harmed democracy by supporting the law, Mr Khan claimed.

He also questioned the absence of PTI leader, Senator Shibli Faraz, from the house when the law was passed. “The opposition leader [Mr Faraz] is also compromised in this system.”

The law, he claimed, has been amended to allow the incumbent army chief, Gen Asim Munir, “to serve for 10 years and even beyond”.

He demanded the ruling coalition inform the house of reasons behind the amendment.

Resolution against Israel

“The Senate notes with alarm the exploitation of the political vacuum caused by regime collapse in Syria, which Israel is using to advance its unilateral agenda,” the resolution stated.

The Senate also unanimously adopted a resolution condemning Israel’s grave violations of international laws.

“This agenda now extends beyond Palestine to violations of the sovereignty of Syria and many other countries,” said the text passed with bipartisan support.

The resolution, moved by Ms Rehman, had called for immediate accountability for these actions.

The house also condemned the killing of United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) team members since October 7, 2023. As of November 2024, at least 249 UNRWA workers have been killed by Israeli forces, as per the agency.

Published in Dawn, December 13th, 2024