Pandemonium in assembly

Disputes in K-P assembly on distribution of development funds rose to the extent that riot police had to be called in

PESHAWAR: The contentious issue of distributing development funds turned the Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa assembly into an arena of gladiators all scuffling with one another.

Such was the state of disorder that the deputy speaker — bereft of powers to call in riot police — adjourned the session.

The house could not even transact its routine agenda or the question hour due to the ruckus.

Trouble started when Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F) lawmaker from Hangu Mufti Said Janan started to protest as soon as the assembly’s session kicked off.

Supported by opposition members from Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) and the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) backed Mufti Janan who had camped front of the speaker’s chair.

Mufti Janan remained there until Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (K-P) Health Minister Shahram Khan persuaded him to return to his chair.

The protest came a day after the JUI-F lawmaker had threatened to do so unless his constituency’s share in the oil and gas royalty funds were not released by the finance department.

Published in The Express Tribune, January 17^th, 2018.