The National Assembly’s (NA) today’s session had to be prorogued until 11: 00 AM on Friday after the House descended into a chaos following an exchange of hot words between PTI-SIC’s Zartaj Gul and PML-Q’s Tariq Bashir Cheema, reported 24NewsHD TV channel on Thursday.
There was pandemonium in the NA after an altercation between Zartaj and Cheema led to a fight between members of the National Assembly (MNAs), belonging to the opposition as well as the government, prompting the fellow MNAs and the security guards to intervene and calm the situation down.
Furious members of the opposition, belonging to the PTI-SIC, chased Cheema to the government benches.
That led the government MNAs to escort PML-Q MNA to a safe place out of the assembly immediately.
PTI’s Shahid Khan hits out at Cheema
PTI/SIC MNA Shahid Khan said that Zartaj was sitting in her chair when Cheema walked up to her and started calling her names. “I cannot repeat the abuses he shouted at her,” he said, adding, “We will protest in front of the speaker’s dais. We demand the suspension of Cheema’s membership.”
Atif Khan says Cheema’s conduct unbecoming of MP
Another PTI/ SIC MNA Atif Khan said that the PML-Q’s legislator’s conduct was unbecoming to a parliamentarian. “No sensible person behaves the way Cheema behaved today,” he said.
Atif said Zartaj was sitting in her chair. The PML-Q MNA walked up to her and used abusive language.
Iqbal Afridi condemns verbal assault on woman
MNA Iqbal Afridi said if Cheema had misbehaved with a male MNA, he and others would have no objections. “But in this case, abuses were hurled at a woman, which is unfortunate.”
MQM-P’s Aminul Haq laments chaos in NA
Later commenting on today’s events in the NA, Syed Aminul Haq of the Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan (MQM-P) said he was a political worker, and it was his opinion that what was witnessed in the House today could have been solved amicably. “All politicians should have respect for each other,” he emphasized.
Noor Alam Khan of JUI-F urges restraint
Noor Alam Khan of the JUI-F opined it was unfortunate that chaotic scenes were witnessed in the assembly today. “Such incidents should never happen because the parliamentary proceedings were being shown on TV live,” he said, adding, “I have heard that some of the legislators used foul language against each other. This is bad. We are the people’s representatives. We ought to have control over our temperament.”
Reporter: Rozeena Ali