Sindh lawmakers welcome Gilani with words of praise

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The Sindh chief minister, in his capacity as the leader of the House in the provincial assembly, requested the apex court on Tuesday to review its verdict wherein former prime minister and a member of his party, Yousuf Raza Gilani, has been convicted and disqualified as a parliamentarian.

“The decision in his [Gilani’s] case is highly lamentable; wouldn’t his case be reviewed? Aren’t there similar cases in the past that were reviewed?” Qaim Ali Shah said while speaking on floor of the provincial assembly in the presence of Gilani. The former prime minister attended the provincial assembly proceedings accompanied by former federal law minister Farooq H Naek and other aides after appearing before the Federal Anti-Corruption Court in the city.

On Gilani’s arrival in the governor’s gallery, the treasury lawmakers gave him a standing ovation while opposition lawmakers also thumped their desks.

The regular agenda for the day’s proceedings was set aside and for almost an hour, MPAs from both the treasury and opposition benches delivered welcoming speeches for Gilani.

The regular debate on the provincial budget was also cut short.

“On behalf of this House, I earnestly request the independently working judiciary to review the decision in this case as we would highly appreciate this act by the apex court,” the chief minister said in his speech.

Shah said the former prime minister had submitted himself before the apex court in total disregard of the consequences of being convicted or sentenced and did what he considered was right proving his loyalty towards the Pakistan People’s Party.

“The former prime minister did well during his tenure despite given its shortened duration and served the people of the country amid crises such as unemployment and unsatisfactory economic conditions,” he added. He said Gilani had visited Sindh several times during his tenure as the prime minister and helped the province when it was facing the calamity of heavy floods and rains.

Senior Education Minister Nisar Ahmed Khuhro said this was for the second time that a sitting or former prime minister had visited the Sindh Assembly. Earlier, he added, Benazir Bhutto during her first tenure as the prime minister had visited the provincial legislature.

Khuhro said Gilani had become the democratically-elected prime minister of the country in 2008 after around nine years of autocratic rule in the country. “The former prime minister has once again appeared before the court showing his complete respect and honour for the judiciary,” he added.

PPP MPA Sharmila Farooqui said leaders of her party were again being subjected to political victimisation by the rulers of the country, similar to what had happened in the 90s when Benazir Bhutto had suffered the ordeal of facing court cases and her husband Asif Ali Zardari was put behind bars for several years.

Works and Services Minister Mir Hazar Khan Bijarani, who was a federal minister in Gilani’s cabinet, said the former prime minister had set commendable parliamentary traditions by following rules and regulations.

Syed Sardar Ahmed, the parliamentary leader of the Muttahida Quami Movement in provincial assembly, praised Gilani for appearing before a court again showing courage and his respect for the judiciary.

Pakistan Muslim League-Functional’s Muhammad Shaharyar Khan Mahar, the leader of the opposition in the House, welcomed Gilani and said the former prime minister had never resorted to victimising political opponents. He added that the Sindh government should follow in Gilani’s footsteps and shun the practice of victimising activists of opposition political parties.

Syed Hafeezuddin, an opposition MPA belonging to the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf, said he had observed the political passion and steadfastness of Gilani when he had met with him while he was serving his sentence in Adiala Jail.

Other lawmakers also praised Gilani for his contribution in several matters including the devolution of power to provinces, strengthening of the parliament and the elected representatives of the people through the 18th Constitutional Amendment and the adoption of the National Finance Commission Award for the judicious distribution of resources among the provinces.