Rowdyism in NA over Talal Chaudhry’s criticism of PTI

and Asim Yasin
ISLAMABAD: The National Assembly proceedings on Thursday turned rowdy, as the PML-N and PTI parliamentarians exchanged allegations against each other’s leadership during the speech of the ruling party’s fire-brand member Talal Chaudhry in the budget session.
Following the walkout of PTI members from the house, the situation further deteriorated when the other opposition parties, including the Pakistan People’s Party and Jamaat-e-Islami (JI), also joined them in the opposition’s lobby adjacent to the National Assembly hall.
The MQM parliamentarians also staged walkout from the house against what they said Defence Minister Khawaja Asif’s anti-Mohajir remarks.The protesting parliamentarians also staged gherao of the Speaker.
“We will continue to stage walkouts from the house till the defence minister apologizes for his words,” Asif Hasnain of MQM said.The situation in the house was created when Talal Chaudhry during his speech made hard-hitting attacks on the PTI Chairman Imran Khan, his wife and KP Chief Minister Pervaiz Khattak.
As Talal Chaudhry alleged that Pervaiz Khattak was murderer of 28 people who died during different incidents during the local bodies polls in KP province, the PTI members while referring to Model Town Lahore incident raised slogans of ‘Qatal-e-Aala’.
The PML-N member further alleged that Imran Khan’s wife had been misusing official helicopter. “Reham Khan is using official chopper like ‘Rickshaw’’,’ he said. He also asked Imran Khan to hold accountability of KP chief minister for his alleged involvement in rigging the local bodies elections.
The outburst continued as Talal Chaudhry further criticizing the PTI said the party was a selling commodity and its chief Imran Khan was also not accepting the decisions of the inquiry commission. “Imran Khan will complete his hat-trick when the decision of NA-122 will also come against him,” he said.
Opposition Leader Syed Khurshid Shah and JI parliamentary leader Sahibzada Tariqullah also registered protest against the remarks of the PML-N members. “It is the responsibility of the government to keep a pleasant atmosphere in the house and refrain from creating any bad taste here,” Khurshid Shah.
“The government should act carefully especially when it needs to get the budget passed smoothly.”Sahibzada Tariqullah before joining the PTI in walkout along with his other party members said the government should play a responsible role in the house.
The opposition member returned to the proceedings when three cabinet members Abdul Qadar Baloch, Senator Ishaq Dar and Sheikh Aftab Ahmad convinced the protesting members to end their boycott.
Talal Chaudhry also apologized for his criticism of the PTI leadership. “I apologize for my words if these hurt anybody,” he said.However, on an occasion he called Dr. Shireen Mazari ‘aunt’ drawing protest from the PTI members.
Talal Chaudhry said after the passage of 18th Amendment the provinces should play their due role in the development of the country and broadening the tax base. He said the world financial institutions and rating agencies had described the indicators of Pakistan’s economy as positive. He criticized the PTI members for returning to the house after their long absence.
Taking part in the debate, Iftikhar Ahmad Cheema said allocation of Rs1,513 billion for the Public Sector Development Programme was a good step. He appreciated that remittances had increased and inflation decreased due to government policies.
Malik Shakir Bashir Awan said economy was improving as a result of measures taken by the government. He said taxes should be reduced on agriculture inputs and agriculture machinery and subsidy should be given on fertilizer to help the small farmers.
He pointed out that there are reports that CDA wants to develop a housing scheme on the National Agriculture Research Centre land which was not appropriate. He said for the last forty years NARC was contributing greatly to the agriculture research. He said the minimum pension of EOBI pensioners should be enhanced to Rs6,000.
Dr. Imran Khattak said the government had failed to achieve different economic targets. He criticized the government’s priorities and said the government should give priority to health and education sector.
Tahira Aurangzeb appreciated that as a result of operation Zarb-e-Azb 90 percent area in Fata had been cleared of terrorists. She said peace was also returning to Karachi due to the targeted operation there. She said increasing the allocations of BISP to Rs102 billion will benefit the poor.
Dawar Khan Kundi said no attention had been paid to basic issues in the budget including health, education, unemployment and load shedding. He demanded reduction in load shedding duration during Ramazan to facilitate the people.
Syed Ashiq Hussain Shah said seven percent growth rate was imperative for providing jobs to the youth. He said projects create jobs and the opposition should not oppose the development projects
Malik Muhammad Amir Dogar was of the view that it was a traditional budget prepared by bureaucracy and technocrats.He demanded establishment of a liver transplant centre in Southern Punjab and completion of cancer hospital and children hospital in Multan.
Shaza Fatima Khawaja stressed the need for provision of clean drinking water to the people and improvement of education system in the country.She said eunuchs were part of the society and basic rights should be given to them. She said federal and provincial governments should initiate programmes of technical and vocational training for eunuchs to make them useful citizens.
Dr. Nafisa Shah said a committee or judicial commission should be formed to investigate into the black economy or black money throughout the country. Referring to the PPP co-Chairman Asif Ali Zardari’s criticism of the army, she said credit also goes to the opposition for contributing to democracy in the country. She said budget was meaningless because for the last seven years Pakistan was at a standstill and economy was trapped in low growth cycle.
Sanjay Parvani demanded allocations of funds in the budget for the welfare of minorities and also demanded implementation of five percent job quota for the minorities.Ayaz Soomro expressed the hope that China Pakistan Economic Corridor project will be implemented despite creating hurdles by some other countries.
Ubaidullah Shadi Khel said budget was better but small farmers particularly of rain-fed areas had been ignored. He suggested that all the stakeholders should be taken into confidence while preparing the budget.
Mahmood Khan Achakzai lauded the Metro Bus Project and said such projects will really provide relief to the general public. He said it was not a good omen to criticize development projects.