Ugly scenes outside parliament as PTI, PML-N trade blows

ISLAMABAD: As the government and its allied lawmakers gathered in the National Assembly for a vote of confidence in Prime Minister Imran Khan, PTI workers present outside the National Assembly clashed with PML-N workers who had arrived there for a press conference, Geo News reported.

As the PML-N leaders started to speak, they were surrounded by the angry crowd, which attempted to drown them out with slogans in support of the Prime Minister and the ruling party.

Former prime minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi, Musaddiq Malik, Miftah Ismail, Ahsan Iqbal and Marriyum Aurangzeb criticised the PTI government and Prime Minister Khan, calling him a “fascist” and comparing him to Hitler. Addressing party workers outside the parliament, Abbasi denounced the vote as “illegal and unconstitutional”. “People are being deceived by this government,” he said.

PTI supporters carrying pro-Imran Khan banners circled the PML-N leaders and started raising slogans loudly in an attempt to suppress their voice. The situation turned ugly when the politicians and the PTI supporters started pushing each other and had heated arguments. TV footage showed an unidentified individual hitting Musaddiq Malik’s head from behind, following which he and Abbasi chased down the man to deliver some retaliatory blows. A Peshawari Chappal was thrown at Ahsan Iqbal as he stood on a platform and shouted slogans criticising the government. Police, meanwhile, were nowhere to be seen.

Later, the PML-N leaders reassembled and blamed the government for the situation. Ahsan Iqbal said that the “politics of fascism” would not be allowed and the PML-N would contest the government at every forum.

Security arrived later to break up the scuffles and formed a human wall, separating the protesters from the PML-N leaders.