Speaker forms body to probe disorder in PA

LAHORE: Speaker Punjab Assembly Ch Pervaiz Elahi on Monday order formation of a facts finding committee on hooliganism in Punjab Assembly allegedly by PML-N MPAs on October 16 during an annual budget speech.

The speaker issued the order after a privilege motion moved by MPA Sajid Ahmed Khan to register concern of the House over the disorder in Punjab Assembly allegedly by the PML-N legislators and alleged objectionable language used by Opposition leader Hamza Shahbaz.

Other movers of the privilege motion were Raza Hussein Bokhari, Farooq Aman Ullah Dareshak, Talat Fatima Naqvi, Sabeen Gull Khan and Seemabia Tahir. While reading the privilege motion in the House, the mover stated that there had been no precedent in the world parliamentary history the way opposition disrespected the institution of Punjab Assembly on October 16.

He said the speaker was the custodian of the House and the language used by the opposition leader against him showed something was still lacking in his training. “The speaker has been elected with the majority vote of PA members and where the narrative of the opposition to respect vote stands now,” the mover raised question in the motion.

In the privilege motion, MPA Sajid Ahmed Khan also stated that the language used by the opposition leader has hurt the privilege of the House and called for debate over the issue. After the privilege motion, Minister for Law and Parliamentary Affairs Muhammad Basharat Raja while speaking on the floor of the PA said no member could object to the privilege motion as the way custodian of the House had been disrespected was highly condemnable.

He said it was not fair to attribute the protest of PML-N to the entire opposition as it was only the call of Nawaz League which had been completely isolated now. The law minister went on to say that there was no role of the PTI government in the action taken by NAB against the ‘Taaya Jan’ (paternal uncle) of opposition leader Hamza Shahbaz.

He stated that former prime minister Nawaz Sharif had the ‘credit’ of facing disqualification over corruption charges and not the government, but he himself was responsible for his deeds.

Slamming the opposition leader, the law minister stated that Hamza Shahbaz Sharif was shamelessly distorting the facts and the way he was defending his position, no sane person could endorse his views.

He said the opposition leader was accusing us (treasury) of smashing the PA benches whereas complete proofs, video recording of the October 16 incidents were available to the government which could also make them public. Terming the October 16 incident an outcome of a planned strategy by PML-N, Raja said if its leadership had a fair stance, it would have never boycotted the Business Advisory Committee meeting. He added that the hooliganism by PML-N in Punjab Assembly caused around Rs 1 million loss to the Punjab government and this loss would be recovered from the members involved in the incident. The law minister went on to say that the House had some traditions and being the custodian of this House, the ruling of the Speaker couldn’t be challenged in the court.

He said the misbehaviour with the assembly staff by PML-N was also condemnable. Raja Basharat on the occasion also said that it would be inappropriate to use the word ‘honourable’ for Hamza Shahbaz, adding the cheap language used by the opposition leader couldn’t be endorsed.

He also added that Shahbaz Sharif, father of Hamza Shahbaz, had been arrested not because of the government, but because of the statements of the officials who had become approvers against him.

Raja said even to most notorious robbers couldn’t cause that much damage to Punjab the way ‘Khadim e Ala’ had done. Issuing warning to the PML-N, the law minister stated that neither in past, nor in future, the house could endorse or accept hooliganism, adding whosoever would ‘sabotage’ the proceedings would face action. Categorically ruling out any effort to woo the opposition, Raja Basharat stated it was only possible if something wrong had been done to them but the six members had been suspended for manhandling the assembly staff and damaging its furniture.

He told the House that no other member of PML-N other than those six had been barred from attending the assembly proceedings but it instead of taking up this issue in the Business Advisory Committee, it announced its boycott.  

After Raja had finished, the speaker told the House that 12 members were seen causing disorder but so far action had been taken against six members6. He ordered formation of committee to come up with a detailed report over the budget day incident within two weeks.