Talk with govt only possible after Imran Khan, worker release from jails: Opposition Leader Umar Ayub
ISLAMABAD: In a heated session of the National Assembly, Opposition Leader Umar Ayub declared that discussions with the government would only proceed when former Prime Minister Imran Khan and other detained leaders are released.
Responding to the Prime Minister’s speech, Ayub stated, “I want to address the Prime Minister of Form 47. We will only talk when my Prime Minister Imran Khan is free and our prisoners are released.”
The Speaker of the National Assembly intervened, urging Ayub to refrain from inflammatory remarks and noting that the environment was improving. However, Ayub insisted on his right to respond, reiterating, “This House will function only when we are respected.”
Ayub also recounted an emotional moment, highlighting the disparity in treatment between political figures. “Shahbaz Sharif mentioned his mother’s funeral. We attended Kulsoom Nawaz’s funeral, but I couldn’t attend my own father’s funeral. Reconciliation will only happen when you acknowledge the mistreatment of Yasmin Rashid, Mahmood-ur-Rasheed, and Hassan Niazi.”
Despite repeated interruptions by the Speaker, who asked him to sit down and noted that Ayub had been given an opportunity to speak, Ayub continued his address. He criticized the conditions of Imran Khan’s detention, stating, “My leader is kept in a death cell while others enjoyed air-conditioned facilities. In a meeting with the Army Chief, I demanded a corps commanders conference to identify those responsible for intelligence failures.”
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Ayub concluded by asserting that the root cause of the country’s instability is the lack of rule of law. His impassioned speech underscored the deep divisions and grievances within the political landscape of Pakistan.
