‘Shut up’ call in Punjab Assembly draws opposition outrage

PML-N MPAs walk out over language used against their women MPA

LAHORE: Lawmakers from the treasury and opposition had a heated exchange when a PTI MPA told a woman legislator to “shut up”. The incident took place after she tried to stop him from interfering in her question which she had posed to Punjab Minister for School Education Dr Murad Raas.

The language of PTI’s Yawar Abass Bukhari drew the ire of opposition legislators who stood up, and in the same breath, said women would not turn up to the house if such behaviour continued.

PML-N women MPAs said that those who disrespect their gender should be prepared to face the music. The legislators tore agenda copies and walked out, saying they would not return unless Bukhari issued an apology. However, the treasury persuaded the opposition to return by assuring that their condition would be met.



Proceedings commenced after a two-hour delay under panel chairman Mian Shafi. PML-N’s MPA Gulnaz Shehzadi, during the question answer session, asked Dr Murad Raas about the performance of schools and offices in Sialkot.

The minister said matters would change with time. Meanwhile, PTI’s Yawar Abass Bukhari interrupted by pointing out that PML-N had ruled for ten years. He asked what the party had done to change the fate of government schools. Gulnaz tried to stop him from interfering with her question.

Bukhari responded by telling the MPA to “shut up”. Gulnaz Shehzadi reacted equally strongly, prompting PML-N leaders to stand up and take note. They asked the treasury if asking women to remain silent was in line with the vision of their leader.

PMLN’s Azma Zahid Bukhari said PTI MPAs had lost their mental balance since coming into power for the first time. She warned that anyone disrespecting and using derogatory language towards them will face the music.

Azma Bukhari said her party’s MPA asked a question from the minister and it is he who should have responded rather than an individual who did not even know how to speak with women.

Later, the opposition walked out and said they would not return till Yawar Bukhari’s apology. However, the panel chairman sent PTI ministers to convince the opposition to return. The PML-N MPAs retook their seats after the PTI MPA apologised for his remarks.

A violation of the rules was also witnessed on the part of panel chairman Mian Shafi who failed to adopt the correct procedure after a lack of quorum was pointed out by the opposition. When the PML-N MPAs walked out, Azma Zahid Bukhari pointed to the quorum.



Mian Shafi ordered ringing of the bells for five minutes. Meanwhile, he also sent PTI ministers to persuade the Opposition. When the members returned, the panel chairman was legally bound to order a count of lawmakers and proceedings could only resume after the government successfully showed the required number of legislators in the house.

However, Shafi started proceedings without adopting the legal procedure.

PML-N’s Hina Pervez Butt asked a supplementary question on how parents could be convinced to send their children to government schools rather than private ones. She said it was astonishing that around 650,000 children are obtaining an education in 1,120 government schools while around 1,000,000 children were attending 5,216 private schools. Dr Raas replied that a mechanism was being devised and remained confident it would attract more children to government schools. The house was adjourned till 3pm on Monday.

Published in The Express Tribune, February 23^rd, 2019.