If a member curses parliament then he is cursing himself: PM Abbasi

ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi said on Friday that if a member curses the parliament, then it means that he is cursing himself.

Speaking on Geo News programme 'Naya Pakistan', Abbasi said a member of the parliament should speak after due deliberation. "Those who indulged in cursing [the parliament] should apologise, or else they will get an answer in the election."

The comments by the prime minister come days after an 'anti-government' rally in Lahore, during which Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) chairman Imran Khan had cursed the parliament for allowing Nawaz Sharif's re-election as the party head after his disqualification.

"I give Laanat (curse) the parliament that made a criminal the president of a party," he said, in an apparent reference to ousted premier Nawaz Sharif being elected the PML-N president.

Imran's remarks followed the repeated cursing of the parliament from Rasheed, who also announced his resignation from the assembly.

Qadri's placement on ECL

The prime minister denied the placement of Pakistan Awami Tehreek (PAT) Dr Tahirul Qadri's name on the Exit Control List (ECL).

He said the matter was taken up by some news channels a day ago, but the government is not taking any such measure.

Abbasi said Tahirul Qadri is a foreign national and the court allowed him to stage a protest, adding, "If the court asked to put his name on the ECL, then we would look into that whether or not a foreigner's name could be placed on the ECL."

He, however, said that if a foreign citizen commits a crime in Pakistan, then action can be taken against him as per Pakistan Penal Code (PPC).

"But the government must look into the matter whether a foreigner, after coming to Pakistan, can speak of toppling the government or stage a protest against the government."

Child abuse cases

Asked about growing incidents of child abuse, he said, "We are trying our best to arrest the suspects of child abuse. High-ranking officials of police are present in Kasur and it's hoped that the suspect in the Kasur incident would be apprehended soon on the basis of available evidence."

Abbasi, however, said that there are some difficulties despite the availability of CCTV footage. He also said that investigations have been ongoing into incident of firing during protests in Kasur.

Axact fake degree scam

Speaking with regard to Axact fake degree scandal, he said, "It is difficult to establish white-collar or cyber crime across the world."

The prime minister said that the matter is not new, but their laws are weak, due to which [authorities] face difficulties in such cases.

He said that if a person, sitting here in Karachi, is selling a degree in the US, then it is quite complicated to investigate it.

Balochistan political crisis

Speaking about Balochistan's political crisis, Abbasi said that he visited Quetta to inquire about the motives behind it. "Members told me that they are under immense pressure and receiving calls."

"I went to Quetta to inform that in politics such motives are not good," he said, adding that it was a party matter as their members had expressed no confidence in their chief minister.

The prime minister said that he had a meeting with the entire [PML-N] parliamentary party a few weeks ago, adding, "Differences lie in every household, every party."

Nisar, Rashid diatribes against each other

Asked about the recent statement by Chaudhry Nisar and Pervaiz Rashid, he said the two figures issued statements which came forth in the form of a disagreement.

"The things, which create ambiguity, do not benefit politics," Abbasi said, adding that the matter has been resolved and, if it isn't, then it is their duty to resolve it.

Pak-US relations

Speaking about Pakistan-US relations, he said that Pakistan has conveyed its detailed stance to the United States. "No one in the world wishes for peace as much we do."

"We will do whatever we can for restoration of peace in Afghanistan," the Pakistan premier said. "Our cooperation has been there in the past and it is still there today in the war against terrorism."

'Election won't be held before July'

About forthcoming elections, he said that their ally parties are still close to them. "Elections are close and every political party has been trying to make room for itself."

"Our stance is clear; we are to go to into elections on the basis of our performance," the prime minister said. "Political upheaval appears only in news."

Ruling out early elections, he said, "The circumstances in the country are not like that; elections will not be held before July."

Asked about his party's candidate for next prime minister, Abbasi said the decision the candidature for PM is made after winning the elections.