Pakistan: PPP seeks joint session of parliament over govt move

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Former president Asif Ali Zardari’s Pakistan People’s Party has called for summoning a joint session of parliament to discuss the Nawaz Sharif government’s decision to seek the army’s assistance in Islamabad under Article 245 for security in the city.

When contacted, PPP Senator Raza Rabbani said that the government should place before parliament the intelligence reports that forced it to invoke Article 245.

“If the government thinks sensitive information is involved, it can convene an in camera session.” Rabbani said invocation of Article 245 could have serious political repercussions because it would suspend the high court’s jurisdiction during the army’s stay in Islamabad and people would be unable to approach the court against violation of their fundamental rights.

The senator expressed the fear that a parallel judicial system could be put in place, recalling that military courts had been established in the past. He said the government should explain why sections of the Pakistan Penal Code were not invoked instead of Article 245.

Leader of Opposition in the National Assembly and PPP member Khurshid Shah termed invocation of Article 245 a blunder by the prime minister.

He said that neither parliament nor political parties were consulted before taking such a critical decision. Lack of consultation with political forces on important issues would lead to chaos, he added.