Shah lambastes Fawad for 'troublemakers' jibe

Meanwhile, NA speaker brings about reconciliation between PTI and PPP lawmakers

ISLAMABAD: A day after government and opposition lawmakers got into an altercation during a National Assembly session, the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) leader Khursheed Shah on Tuesday said if ‘troublemakers’ are sent to space, most of the treasury benches will also get vacant.

Shah was responding to a satirical comment of Information Minister Fawad Chaudhry who on Monday jokingly ‘asked’ the Space and Upper Atmosphere Research Commission (Suparco) to arrange a one-way trip to space for all corrupt politicians and troublemakers.

“Troublemakers have been part of this parliament for the last 5 years. If there is any such plan, Suparco should be given five-year data and not data of the last three months [of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf’s (PTI) rule over the country]. The house will be empty [after dispatching the troublemakers],” he said.

He also condemned the clash between the PPP and PTI during the Monday’s session, called it unpleasant and warned that such incidents would undermine parliament.

“The opposition kept waiting in the assembly for an hour but no one from the government came. And even today only the opposition reached the speaker’s chamber at his call for reconciliation,” he said. Shah asked the government to make an atmosphere conducive to running parliamentary affairs.

The pandemonium in the Monday session started when the PPP leader Shazia Marri mentioned General AK Niazi, who surrendered before the Indian Army in December 1971, and compared him with Prime Minister Imran Khan ‘Niazi’.



The comment enraged the PTI lawmakers, some of whom started yelling at Marri. The opposition benches also responded in the same manner, causing uproar in the assembly.

Addressing the speaker, Minister for Parliamentary Affairs Ali Mohammed Khan had raised objection to Marri’s analogy. Speaker Asad Qaiser had later ruled that a tribe should not be targeted while criticising a particular person.

On Tuesday, the NA Speaker Asad Qaiser brought about reconciliation between the government and oppositions lawmakers during a meeting held at his chamber.  Later, talking to media, he said the issue was finally resolved due to positive role of senior parliamentarians from both sides.

“Parliamentarians from the PPP and the PTI have resolved the matter with open heart. Parliamentarians should give respect to each other to further strengthen democracy and democratic institutions.”

On Tuesday, Ali Muhammad Khan informed the National Assembly that process for the formation of NA standing committees would be completed soon as the matter is pending till the appointment of the Public Account Committee (PAC) chairman.

He said this, while responding to a point of order raised by MNA Abdul Akbar Chitrali regarding delay in formation of standing committees. The minister said the PTI’s chief whip, PML-N’s Murtaza Javed Abbasi and the PPP representatives have worked a lot on formation of standing committees.

“These committees would be announced soon once the issue of appointment of PAC chairman is resolved,” he said. Khan said a committee should be formed to decide about renaming the Islamabad Benazir Bhutto International Airport.



“Benazir Bhutto was a national leader and her services for the democracy and country couldn't be forgotten. She was a leader of whole the nation and she was martyred during performing national duty,” he said.

Former premier Shahid Khaqan Abbasi also condemned the unpleasant incident happened in the National Assembly last day and asked the government to ensure conducive environment in the house.

Chaudhry responds to Shah

Talking to media outside the Parliament House, Fawad Chaudhry on Tuesday reiterated that ‘chaotic’ politicians belonging to various political parties should be sent to space. “It is an easy solution to end the threat of chaos on earth,” he said.

To a question, he said the previous government's package for former opposition leader, Khursheed Shah, could be checked. “The government does not believe in collisions and would tell nation the facts,” he added.

Senate passes resolution on Sami

The Senate passed a resolution to condemn assassination of JUI-S Chief Maulana Samiul Haq and lauded his services for the country. The resolution, tabled by Leader of the House Shibli Faraz, was unanimously adopted by the house.

[WITH ADDITIONAL INPUT FROM APP]