Azma slams ‘Fitna party’ protest at PA boundary

LAHORE: Provincial Minister for Information and Culture Azma Bokhari has said the members of “Fitna party” should be ashamed of fighting at the boundary of the Punjab Assembly.

In a press statement issued here on Wednesday, she said the “Fitna party” office-bearers and losers had been gathered from all over Punjab to stage protest.

She said their own assembly members are not with them. These are not the members of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf, they are the terrorists of May 9. For four months now, the same drama has been going on inside the assembly.

She said those who have been shouting absurd slogans inside the House are doing the same today at the Assembly Gate.

She said: “We have suffered their bullying and dictatorship for four years. Our members have always protested, keeping in view civility and parliamentary traditions. The amount of time and respect Speaker Punjab Assembly Ahmed Khan gave to the opposition members has no precedent in the past.”

Provincial Finance Minister Mujtaba Shuja-ur-Rehman said the opposition spoiled the atmosphere of the House during the chief minister’s swearing-in ceremony, budget day and the chief minister’s speech. Maryam Nawaz honoured the entire opposition including Rana Aftab on the first day. She even said that opposition members were as respectable as government members. He said the opposition members continuously adopted non-parliamentary behaviour during Maryam’s speech, which was highly intolerable. He said Speaker Malik Ahmed Khan persuaded the opposition leader and his aides several times, but they were bent upon spoiling the atmosphere of the House. The speaker has exercised his powers by taking action against those who spoiled the atmosphere of the House, Shuja added.