How did MQM foil PML-N's anti-democratic plans on NRO - An analysis

MQM denies ever pressing for Zardari’s resignation

November 3rd, 2009 - 2:30 pm ICT by ANI
Islamabad, Nov.3 (ANI): The Muttahida Quami Movement (MQM) has denied issuing any statement which asked for President Asif Ali Zardari’s resignation.

According to reports, a delegation of MQM leaders led by the leader of the party in parliament Dr. Farooq Sattar met Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani to clarify its stance over the issue.

The delegation, which included Parliamentary Affairs Minister Dr Babar Awan, Petroleum Minister Syed Naveed Qamar and other senior party leaders, rejected media reports that the MQM president Altaf Hussain has asked Zardari to step down, The Nation reports. Earlier, it was reported that Hussain while asking his party leaders to oppose the National Reconciliation Ordinance (NRO) in parliament had advised Zardari to tender his resignation. Hussain, during an interview with a private television channel, said that he has directed his party members to oppose the NRO in parliament, and that he had also told the President that the ordinance was a ‘black law’.

Hussain said the government should not table the ordinance in the House as the people of the country have already rejected it. He, however, later clarified that he never asked for Zardari’s resignation. “I did not talk about Zardari’s resignation in the entire interview. We are not against the Pakistan People’s Party or Zardari. The MQM is not responsible if our advice is misunderstood. Neither can the MQM become a party to legalising corruption through the assembly,” Hussain said. (ANI)

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By Latif Chaudhry

A day of reconciliation in NA
Wednesday, November 04, 2009
By By our correspondent

ISLAMABAD: It was a day of reconciliation in the National assembly after the government’s decision not to present the controversial National Reconciliation Ordinance (NRO) in parliament and the treasury benches received accolades from the opposition for bowing to the parliament’s demand.

Tuesday’s proceedings coincided with the second anniversary of the emergency and the PCO imposed by Musharraf and the House echoed with demand of his trial under the Article 6 of the Constitution. Interestingly, the PML-Q members, who were part of Musharraf’s dispensation, were also critical of the Nov 3 acts, but some of them, including Marvi Memon and Akram Gill, had a word of praise for him.

Kicking off the debate on a point of order, Leader of the Opposition Chaudhry Nisar Ali lauded the government for its decision not to table the NRO in the National Assembly. He asked the government to try Musharraf under the Article 6. “It is time to take concrete measures to make parliament a truly sovereign institution and the centre of power,” he added.

He announced that the PML-N would hold a rally outside the Parliament House today to condemn the November 3 action and to express solidarity with the judiciary. He appealed to all the political forces to join them.

Ahsan Iqbal said that after the Supreme Court’s verdict, the government was bound to proceed against Musharraf. Interior Minister Rehman Malik described the decision of not tabling the NRO in the House as ‘political wisdom’. Responding to a point of order, he agreed to give an in-camera briefing to parliamentarians about national security issues. Responding to Ahsan’s comment that US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton had said Pakistan provided no evidence on Indian interference in the country, Malik said foreign dignitaries gave such statements and “we are not supposed to respond.” Meanwhile, Speaker National Assembly Dr Fehmida Mirza clarified that neither she nor her husband ever took benefit under the NRO. (The News)

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