ISLAMABAD: Conde­mning the arrest of lawmakers from Parliament House, former prime minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi on Wednesday condemned the government for undermining the sanctity of the legislature.

Speaking at a press conference, the leader of the Awaam Pakistan Party (APP) also lashed out KP Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur for disgracing his office by delivering an abusive speech at a public meeting in the federal capital.

He also rejected the newly passed laws about public meetings in the federal capital and reserved seats in the National Asse­mbly and termed them black and draconian laws.

About the arrest of PTI lawmakers in and outside Parliament House, the former prime minister said entire legislature was now virtually under the control of a station house officer (SHO).

Says CM Gandapur disgraced his office by delivering ‘abusive’ speech at Sangjani rally

He said the two houses of the parliament passed a Peaceful Assembly and Public Order Act, 2024, in one day which, he said, had not been read by any of the members of the parliament.

Mr Abbasi also criticised the opposition for keeping mum on the controversial laws.

“If the opposition could not get a chance to discuss these laws in the parliament, it should have talked about them outside the parliament,” he said.

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Mr Abbasi criticised the government for introducing the new law to impose a blanket ban on holding peaceful demonstrations and rallies in Islamabad.

“The law was meant to block the PTI rally. There is no democracy now in the country’s capital. The whole National Assembly is now under the control of an SHO. You can be arres­ted if you speak against the government,” the former prime minister said.

The PTI held its public meeting at Sangjani on Sunday in which KP Chief Minister Ali Amin Gand­a­pur delivered a controversial speech before the government barricaded different routes leading to the venue of the public meeting.

“The government is enacting laws which were not imposed even during martial laws,” he said.

KP CM remarks criticised

Mr Abbasi also lashed out at the KP chief minister for using abusive language in the public meeting and said that the language disgraced the CM’s position.

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“The KP chief minister did not talk about the people and their problems but used abusive language. When you hold a constitutional office, your remarks reflect your personality and your position,” he added.

He said the remarks passed by Gandapur must be condemned, but KP CM was apologetic on his remarks,“ he added.

Published in Dawn, September 12th, 2024