Daily Times

Benazir’s killers will be exposed, Babar Awan tells NA
Parliamentary affairs minister vows government will abolish NAB

By Zulfiqar Ghuman
ISLAMABAD: Minister for Parliamentary Affairs Senator Dr Babar Awan vowed on Thursday the killers of Benazir Bhutto would be exposed and taken to task.

“We have finalised the draft to be handed over to UN secretary-general on his visit to Pakistan on February 4 on the investigations into the assassination of Benazir Bhutto. We want impartial and credible investigations, that’s why we had approached the UN for these investigations,” he said in his speech on the presidential address to parliament last year. “We approached the UN for investigations as we want the political and democratic revenge for her murder,” he added.

Paying tributes to Benazir, he said she was the only voice in the Muslim world who had called for reconciliation between Muslims and the West. “She was a leader of international stature and we want investigations of that stature,” he said.

The House also passed a motion of gratitude to the president for his address to a joint sitting of parliament.

Responding to PML-N members’ concern about the possible disqualification of their leader Nawaz Sharif, Babar Awan said that following the spirit of Charter of Democracy (CoD) the government has decided to do away with the notorious National Accountability Bureau to do away with the politics of revenge in the country.

“The inter-ministerial committee has finalised a draft bill in this regard. The bill will soon be presented before the cabinet for approval. This will wipe out the politics of revenge. There will be no NAB laws, courts and prosecutors any more,” he announced.

The minister said no politicians would be disqualified under NAB laws. “There will be no unilateral action against any politicians. Now a parliamentary committee having equal representation from the treasury and the opposition and the National Assembly and the Senate will make decisions in this regard,” he said.

He said that President Zardari had revived the constitutional and parliamentary tradition in the country and hoped that it would continue in future, as “democracy is the future of Pakistan”.

“Fourty-two members took part in the debate on presidential address and it is a welcome sign for democracy,” he said.

Earlier, the opposition members, especially legislators from the PML-N criticised the government and the president for backtracking on promises made regarding the restoration of sacked judges and the repeal of the 17th Amendment.

They said they would go to any extent in protest, including resigning from the assemblies.

However, they said they extended the hand of cooperation to the PPP once again provided it agrees to implementing the CoD in letter and spirit. Shahid Khaqan Abbasi, Rana Tanvir and Tehmina Daultana spoke for the PML-N. Farzana Raja, Nafisa Shah and Syed Salahuddin Shah spoke for the PPP.

Raza Hayat Hiraj from the PML-Q demanded that a new province should be created that includes districts of south Punjab.

Ijaz Virk of the PPP criticised the government, especially the ministers, for ignoring party members. Maulvi Asmatullah and Kamran Khan, both from FATA, also spoke.

Tehmina Daultana wanted to walk out in protest when speaker Dr Fahmeeda Mirza refused to allow her to speak on a point of order, but her party members persuaded her to stay. The NA speaker noticed that some legislators had formed groups and were chatting. She told them to bring order in the Houshttp://.dailytimes.com.pk/default.asp?page=2009\01\30\story_30-1-2009_pg7_18e and listen to the members who were speaking.
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