ISLAMABAD:
The National Assembly on Wednesday witnessed heated exchanges between members of the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) and Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) during the ongoing budget session, with repeated use of unparliamentary language which was later erased by the Speaker.
The House, presided over by Speaker Sardar Ayaz Sadiq, witnessed violent verbal clashes as opposition and government MPs clashed over various political and budgetary issues, sometimes pushing proceedings to the brink of disorder.
Former President Asad Qaiser, speaking on a point of personal explanation, launched a scathing attack on Defense Minister Khawaja Asif, demanding his resignation and raising questions over political negotiations and alleged electoral conduct.
He claimed that negotiations involving intelligence officers took place at his residence and even at the President’s House during discussions on Financial Action Task Force (FATF) legislation. However, he wondered why, according to him, the conscience of the Defense Minister had not been disturbed by the “theft of mandate”, in particular that of the leader of the PTI, Rehana Dar.
Asad Qaiser also spoke about the February 8, 2024 elections, alleging electoral irregularities, and challenged Khawaja Asif to resign and contest against Rehana Dar if he had doubts about the mandate.
During the session, National Minister for Food Security Rana Tanveer Hussain said the government had introduced several budgetary schemes for farmers. He added that the tax system was linked to an anonymous mechanism to ensure that no taxpayer could be blackmailed.
The house also witnessed a tense exchange during Rana Tanveer Hussain’s speech, when PTI lawmaker Aatif Khan raised objections, triggering a war of words between members of the Treasury and the opposition benches.
The situation escalated to the point that members of both camps moved closer together, but colleagues intervened to prevent the confrontation from escalating. PTI Chairman Barr Gohar then slammed the budget and demanded removal of the “unconstitutional” faceless system.
In another incident, during PML-N MP Azhar Qayyum Nahra’s speech, criticism of PTI founder Imran Khan led to protests by opposition member Shafqat Awan, who responded with unparliamentary language.
These remarks backfired, prompting women parliamentarians to protest the use of inappropriate language in the House. The situation was finally defused thanks to the intervention of State Minister Talal Chaudhry and other members.
The budget debate also saw exchanges between members of the Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan (MQM-P) and the Pakistan People’s Party (PPP). PPP MP Naz Baloch, without naming the MQM-P, raised pointed issues related to the Baldia town tragedy, extortion activities and ‘porcelain cutting’ in parks.
In response, MQM-P leader Khawaja Izharul Hassan said those involved in large-scale corruption had been allowed to remain in politics, and added that complaints about Sindh’s deprivations were proof of the failure of the 18th constitutional amendment, calling for its annulment.
PPP member Shazia Marri urged that no obstacles be created in the formation of a PPP-led government in Gilgit-Baltistan and demanded that Islamabad International Airport be renamed after Shaheed Benazir Bhutto.
Amid the heated exchanges, Deputy Speaker Syed Ghulam Mustafa Shah, who was presiding over the session at one point, warned members that he would be forced to suspend proceedings if discipline was not maintained in the House.
The session saw noticeably low attendance after the Maghreb prayer break, with only 19 members present in the room, as the budget debate continued. The meeting was then adjourned until 11 a.m. Thursday.
