Govt, opposition exhibit traditional rivalry as NA discusses Murree tragedy

ISLAMABAD: The government and opposition lawmakers have shown their traditional rivalry and unserious behaviour in the National Assembly (NA) just after the Murree tragedy in which at least 22 people lost their lives following administrative negligence.

A heated debate took place in the Lower House of the Parliament on Monday between the treasury and opposition lawmakers despite a heavy life loss in Murree hill station.

As the NA session commenced yesterday, the speaker announced to discuss Murree tragedy instead of the Finance (Supplementary) Bill, generally known as the mini-budget. The discussion on the mini-budget was rescheduled to July 11, Tuesday.

The government side has exhibited unseriousness over the discussion as Prime Minister Imran Khan, newly-appointed secretary-general of the ruling Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Asad Umar and Punjab chapter president Shafqat Mahmood remained absent from the crucial session.

Moreover, Federal Information Minister Fawad Chaudhry branded the Opposition Leader in the NA Shahbaz Sharif a trickster in the session that turned the environment of the Lower House tense.

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Shahbaz Sharif started his speech on the assembly’s floor by launching harsh criticism on the federal and provincial authorities over administrative flaws in handling the tourists thronged to Murree hill station.

He also demanded a judicial probe into the incident and criticised that the incumbent government had turned the tourists’ happiness into grief and sorrow by its negligence and inefficiency after making tall claims of gaining economic prosperity.

Sharif had been responded by Fawad Chaudhry immediately the opposition leader concluded his speech, saying that Shahbaz is attending the session after taking an exemption from the court and blamed the Sharif family for constructing palaces instead of developing Punjab and the tourist destination Murree hill station.

Fawad Chaudhry said that PTI lawmakers from NA and provincial assembly were there to help the stranded people but Pakistan Muslim League Nawaz (PML-N) leaders were nowhere. He also blamed the past governments for doing nothing for the developments that led the incumbent government to build everything from scratch.

The opposition parties in the National Assembly demanded to constitute a judicial commission to fix responsibility after rejecting the inquiry committee formed by Punjab Chief Minister Usman Buzdar.

Other treasury and opposition lawmakers had also addressed the NA session. Later, the NA session was adjourned till 4:00 pm on Tuesday.

However, the NA session remained a futile exercise to find and recommend solutions to avert such untoward situations in the future.