PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari has termed PTI founder’s statement as an attack on the democracy.

Taking the floor of the National Assembly, he said yesterday’s statement of PTI’s founder is an attack on every constitutional institute. He, however, proposed that the PTI should probe the matter whether it was a statement from the PTI founder or from anyone else.

Bilawal Bhutto Zardari said the PTI founder attempted to target the sitting the Chief Justice of Pakistan and the Chief of the Army Staff. He said the PTI founder will have to face the consequences of his provocative statement.

The PPP Chairman also congratulated the newly elected Member of the National Assembly Makhdom Tahir Rasheeduddin from Rahim Yar Khan. He thanked the people of Rahim Yar Khan and coalition parties for supporting Makhdom Tahir Rasheeduddin and rejecting the politics of conspiracies, abuses, and the ‘prisoner number 804’.

Earlier, the newly elected member of the National Assembly Makhdom Tahir Rasheeduddin took oath as member of the Lower House today.

Deputy Speaker Syed Ghulam Mustafa Shah administered the oath. 

Minister for Energy Musadik Malik has said the government intends to privatize all the loss-making State-Owned Enterprises, including the Pakistan Minerals Development Corporation, in a gradual manner.

Replying to a Calling Attention Notice, moved by Asad Qaisar and others, regarding the proposed privatization of the Pakistan Minerals Development Corporation, he said there are 2000 employees working in the PMDC and none of them is doing mining job. He, however, made it clear that it is prerogative of the provinces either to continue or privatize their companies under their command.

Defence Minister Khawaja Muhammad Asif said the real face of Pakistan Tehreek e-Insaf was exposed within 48 hours and proposed that the Special Committee set up by the Speaker National Assembly for restoring the prestige of Parliament, should be abolished.

He said the PTI founder’s controversial tweet vitiated the entire political environment. He said PTI needs to investigate the tweet.

Minister for States and Frontier Regions Amir Muqam urged the opposition to refrain from attacking the armed forces and their leadership.

PPP leader Raja Pervaiz Ashraf said 250 million people of Pakistan are firmly standing behind our Chief Justice and the Chief of Army Staff. He said we will not let you make our institutions controversial. He said your politics of hatred and abuse is harming democracy.

Those who spoke on the occasion include Gohar Ali Khan Syed Mustafa Kamal, Awais Haider Jakhar, Syed Ahad Ali Shah, Shazia Mari, Hanif Abbasi.

The House will now meet tomorrow at 11:30 a.m.