NA Speaker suggests suspending interior secretary over absence

ISLAMABAD: National Assembly Session Speaker Raja Pervez Ashraf has instructed to suspend and dismiss the interior secretary over his absence in a committee meeting.

The speaker expressed his displeasure over the absence of Interior Secretary and other top officials in the meeting of the National Assembly’s Special Committee on Arms Licenses.

National Assembly Raja Pervaiz Ashraf ordered to summon the interior secretary immediately to the session. Defence Minister Khawaja Asif also expressed his displeasure over the absence of the interior secretary and blamed the bureaucracy for disregarding parliament.

“Speaker Sahab, 15 days are left for our government and this behavior has just started from the bureaucracy,” he said. “Think for yourself what will happen after 15 days.”

“Anything can happen in 15 days,” Speaker Raja Pervez Ashraf replied, adding that action will be taken for disregarding parliament.

“Whether we have 15 days or 15 hours, action will be taken against those who do not give importance to the Parliament Secretary,” the speaker said.

Khawaja Asif said the Issuance of arms licenses is important in view of the law and order situation. “Speaker, give me time till tomorrow, I will find out where the resistance is coming against making arms licenses,” he said.

Speaker Raja Pervaiz Ashraf said the Interior Secretary should be suspended and someone else should be appointed.

Federal Minister Sardar Ayaz Sadiq said he spoke t Interior Minister Rana Sanaullah who also expressed concern over the absence of the Interior secretary in the committee meeting.

The PML-N leader said the secretary will come tomorrow. Sadiq said the secretary has given approval for several hundred licenses and other will be issued soon.

The defence minister said the law and order situation in rural areas in the worse, said dacoits and honey-trapping young people by calling and pretending to be girls.

He said every child should have a weapon in ‘katcha’ area. He called for arming citizens in katcha areas and due to the resurgence of terrorism in the country.