Disorder spoils PA budget session

LAHORE:The legislators indulged in unnecessary discussions and kept passing sarcastic and even objectionable remarks against their opponents during the debate on annual budget for 2024-25 in Punjab Assembly on Monday.

On most of the occasion, the Speaker Punjab Assembly Malik M Ahmad Khan had to intervene to diffuse the tension and warned legislators to avoid targeting families and personal lives of politicians.

In the beginning, Nadeem Qureshi, an MPA of Sunni Ittehad Council declared the Finance Minister Mian Mujtaba Shuja ur Rehman as 'Chahat Fateh Ali Khan', a funny pop singer and Tiktok celebrity. Qureshi stated the way Mian Mujtaba Shuja ur Rehman was praising Punjab Chief Minister, it seemed he was just acting like Chahat Fateh Ali Khan.

During the PA session, Agha Ali Haider of PMLN used the word 'devil' for Opposition MPA from Rahimyar Khan Ejaz Shafi while the latter was criticising the government over budget. Pir Ashraf Rasool of PMLN on the occasion said even the devil would raise objection over these remarks because he was better than the Opposition MPA. These remarks were expunged.

Hafiz Farhat of SIC and Sami Ullah Khan of PMLN indulged in serious clash of words while the latter criticised former First Lady Bushra Bibi and Tyrian, Imran's alleged daughter. The House plunged into disorder after this. Hafiz Farhat of SIC stated that two ‘kaneezes’ (female servants) were running the Punjab government. He also warned Sami he would not remain silent and say a lot more about his wife Azma Bokhari, who is also the Information Minister of Punjab. Sami Ullah Khan said Hafiz Farhat should better go to jail and get any affidavit signed from his leader in denial of allegations regarding Tyrian and Tosha Khana watch. When the tension mounted further, the PA speaker took notice and both the MPAs sought apology for their words.