PHOTO: EXPRESS
In Wednesday’s assembly session, both sides said he should be booked under cybercrime laws for leaking the audio of a phone call in which provincial lawmaker Raja Basharrat was speaking. Although provincial health minister Yasmin Rashid tried to defend Dr Niazi, her party’s leaders said the MS committed a cybercrime. Among them was panel chairman Mian Shafi Muhammad who was presiding over the session.
As house proceedings kicked off, the Punjab Assembly press gallery and opposition boycotted the house over the “insulting” remarks of Fayyazul Hassan Chohan. The minister was answering a question posed by a journalist at an event to pay tribute to late Jamaat-e-Islami Amir Qazi Hussain Ahmed.
Defending himself, Chohan said it was not a suitable place to pose such questions. He further explained that he was frazzled at the time as he was told that his wife had fallen unconscious. He apologised for the comments, saying he was sorry if any person’s feelings were affected.
However, the minister lashed out at the opposition when some of them continued to grill him over the remarks. He said PML-N’s own leaders, such as Rana Sanaullah and others, were known for their derogatory language.
PPP parliamentary leader Syed Hassan Murtaza wanted to bring an out-of-turn resolution over the conduct of Fayyazul Hassan Chohan. However, the panel chairman did not allow him. Finally, he was allowed to present his resolution in Thursday’s (today) session.
He challenged the house to defend the information minister’s language. However, no minister stood up to counter. He said Prime Minister Imran Khan was heard calling Chohan his ‘”cheetah”. Murtaza quipped by saying that cheetahs ate people and it was best to make this one toothless.
At 1:08pm, the question-answer session started and finished within the same minute as no mover was present at that time of their names being called. There were four questions on agriculture, excise and taxation and law, but none of the movers were present in House.
On a point of order, PML-N Azma Zahid Bukhari raised three concerns. She said the panel chairman was diminishing her role in the assembly by not allowing her to speak on public matter. Secondly, she said the PTI government talks of women empowerment, but nothing had been done for Dr Ariba Hanif who was subjected to political victimisation and was forced to resign under hostile circumstances. She also asked who leaked the audio call of Raja Basharat, saying that an inquiry should be launched against the culprit.
Minister for Prosecution Chaudhry Zaheeruddin said MS Niazi committed a cybercrime by taping and leaking audio phone calls. He assured that the government would register a case against the MS. PML-N Waris Shad also sought an FIR against Niazi, asking how an MS could record and leak Raja Basharat’s audio.
Commenting on the situation, Heath Minister Dr Yasmin Rashid said Dr Ariba, along-with others, had been assigned emergency duty at a hospital, but refused. She said a servant of the government someone should follow orders rather than leave work. He said Dr Ariba had not resigned and no one harassed her. She added that MS Niazi told an inquiry that he had no idea how this message was leaked. Pandemonium arose over her remark and the panel chairman Mian Shafi said the MA was at fault as he had committed a cybercrime.
Meanwhile, as the law minister introduced the Punjab Occupational Safety and Health Bill 2013, PML-N’s Samiullah Khan said there was understanding that this bill would be would be referred to standing committees which are to be formed. He said the bill would not be referred to special committees.
Raja Basharat requested opposition leader Hamza Shehbaz Sharif to nominate its members for the standing committee and PTI would do the same. Later, the house was adjourned till by 11am on Thursday (today).
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