Govt hails May 9 convictions, says violent protests part of recorded history

ISLAMABAD: The treasury benches in Senate on Monday declared the May 9 violence as a part of the recorded history and reminded the PTI that the opposition was reaping the fruits of what its actions.

Read more: Yasmin Rashid and others sentenced in two May 9 cases, Qureshi acquitted

Law Minister Azam Nazeer Tarar and Senator Irfan Siddiqui made these remarks after the PTI’s National Assembly protested what Barrister Gohar called “a Friday Bazar of convictions” and the resultant disqualification of party leaders in May 9 cases.

WHAT GRAND JIRGA?

In the National Assembly, Speaker Ayaz Sadiq, however, told the protesting the PTI lawmakers — who are registered as Sunni Ittehad Council (SIC) members — that no production order was possible for the jailed party MANs.

He told them that production order wasn’t issued even for Congress leader Rahul Gandhi after his arrest in India.

At the same time, the speaker rejected the idea of “grand jirga” and said the House was the jirga for him. However, he proposed the idea of forming a four-member committee, comprising two members each from treasury and opposition, to discuss the issues.

PROTEST CAN’T REVERSE DISQUALIFICATION

On the other hand, Tarar told the Senate that everyone had watched on TV what happened on May 9 when sensitive installations and Radio Pakistan, Peshawar, were attacked.

No protest can reverse disqualification after conviction, the law minister made it clear and added even bail after sentencing did not stop disqualification.

“The opposition is reaping what it had sown,” remarked Senator Irfan Siddiqui and said those carrying out the May 9 attacks proudly told [people on social media] that they had torched everything.

DAYLIGHT DREAMING, FAKE POPULARITY

He said military garrisons were not attacked even when political had been sentenced and hanged in the past — an obvious reference to Zulfikar Ali Bhutto and Nawaz Sharif.

Meanwhile, Siddiqui advised the PTI stop daylight dreaming and seek forgiveness for the May 9 violent protests.

Read more: ‘Imran’s sons shouldn’t visit Pakistan, no mercy for May 9’

He added that claims about 90 per cent popularity were false and no one protested over the recent sentencing of PTI leadership.

Siddiqui said anyone carrying out May 9-like attacks in the United States, the United Kingdom or India would be produced immediate severe punishment. At least 500 May accused should be sentenced, he added.

Meanwhile, he also reminded the audience how badly opposition figures including the elder Sharif and Faryal Talpur were treated during the PTI government.