The opposition leader in the National Assembly, Omar Ayub Khan, wrote on Tuesday the president of NA about “censor” his speech in the Chamber.
At the beginning of November last year, a session was postponed indefinitely after the comments of the opposition leader on the rapid legislation last night were eliminated from the registry.
In a letter addressed to the speaker, Khan said: “Despite his failure and personal commitment made on the floor of the camera, my speech was, in fact, blocked, censored, and the continuity of the parliamentary procedures and debate was deliberately interrupted by the media and photography of the NA.”
“This act of suppression occurred in direct violation of its explicit guarantee and has inflicted serious damage to the transparency of the parliamentary business,” added the opposition leader.
“As an opposition leader, he had formally sought and was assured by his good being, in his capacity as a speaker that my speech would be transmitted live, without interruption, censorship or selective blocking, to safeguard the parliamentary right of the debate for all members, including those of opposition banks,” he continued.
Khan said that this guarantee explicitly extended to the live broadcast in the official television channel of Parliament, as well as the coverage of national media networks.
He complained that his request for access to the official audio and video recordings of his speech from the general media and the photography wing were denied without any legal justification, “although no part of the speech was ordered.”
“The actions of the Secretary General, Mr. Tahir Hussain, and the Director General (Media), Mr. Zafar Sultan Khan, who have the duty to implement their ruling, instead they have deliberately ignored it.
“By obstructing the legitimate participation of the members of the opposition and retaining the coverage of the fair media, they have committed a serious violation of privileges. Their behavior has undermined both the authority of the speaker and the institutional integrity of this Chamber.”
The opposition leader referred to article 66 of the Constitution, while dealing with the privileges of the members and provides complete freedom of expression in Parliament and no member can be responsible before any procedure in any court with respect to anything that says or any vote granted by them in the Chamber.
“This constitutional guarantee safeguards the right of members to speak freely since their voices are completely heard, both inside and beyond the house,” he concluded.
Last year, in March, Khan had said that his speech as opposition leader was not broadcast live and was censored.
Referring to the speech of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif after being chosen as Prime Minister, he said: “His speech was live and mine was interrupted again and again.”
