Ruckus in the house: NA session marred by PTI members’ protest

PTI MNAs trade barbs with lawmakers of PML-N, PPP

ISLAMABAD: Ruckus marred the proceedings of the National Assembly on Tuesday as the lawmakers of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) staged a protest for ‘not being given the opportunity’ to defend their party chief Imran Khan over his last week’s comments about the parliament.

Addressing a multi-party rally in Lahore last week, Khan had cursed the parliament for legislating for a single person, former premier Nawaz Sharif, and paving way for him to head his political party.

Imran’s words were widely condemned and the National Assembly had unanimously passed a resolution against the PTI chief and Awami Muslim League chief Sheikh Rashid.



Speaking on a point of order on Saturday, the PTI lawmakers attempted to defend their chief but were tackled by the MNAs of the ruling Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) and the Pakistan People’s Party (PPP).

On Tuesday, the National Assembly resumed its session with Speaker Ayaz Sadiq in the chair. However, soon after start of the sitting, PTI’s Dr Arif Alvi pointed out the lack of quorum, leading to a headcount and subsequent suspension of proceedings.

Prior to the counting, Dr Alvi said a resolution was passed against the PTI chairman but the party’s lawmakers were not being given an opportunity to clarify their stance over the issue.

When the proceedings resumed after some time, PTI’s Shehryar Afridi tried to present his argument on Khan’s remarks on a point of order. He said the Holy Quran provided a complete way of living and the Constitution was subservient to its teachings.

He said former premier Sharif had lied to the parliament after the Panama Papers scandal surfaced.

He further quoted a number of incidents including the Model Town massacre, Baldia Town factory fire and others in which common citizens suffered. “However, the parliament made a law for a specific person and did nothing for the common people,” he added.

In response, Deputy Speaker Murtaza Javed Abbasi, who was then chairing the session, said the parliament was meant to serve the masses.

“But the parliament cannot deliver unless its members respect the house. The parliament is the supreme institution and nobody can be allowed to disgrace the house,” he added.

The deputy speaker remarked that the lawmakers should pass a law against those who curse the parliament. He also passed a ruling that the entire nation should curse such an individual.

On these remarks, the PTI members left their seats and started shouting slogans in front of his rostrum.

The PPP and PML-N MNAs criticised the language used by the PTI chairman against the parliament and demanded that Khan should retract his words. PPP’s Abdul Sattar Bachani labelled PTI lawmakers ‘thieves’ and called for cursing them.



PTI’s Amir Malik Dogar said for the past five days, his party’s legislators were demanding that they be allowed to speak in the house but the floor was being given to those who were abusing them.

Referring to the changes made in the declaration of the nomination papers, he said a condemnable attempt was made to declare Ahmadis as Muslims. “Should this parliament be honoured for it?” he asked.

NADRA (Amendment) Bill 2018

The National Database and Registration Authority (Amendment) bill 2018 was also laid before the house. Moved by the MQM-Pakistan’s Saman Sultana Jafri, the bill read that women were more than half of the total population but according to the Election Commission of Pakistan statistics they were less in number than men.

It proposed an amendment to the NADRA Ordinance 2000 for taking special measures for the issuance of national identity cards to women, including an enrolment drive at the tehsil level twice a year by using all resources available. The house will now meet today at 10.30 am.