A day for objections
It was a tough day for Waris Kallu in the Punjab Assembly, as members continued to criticise him for “eating the words".
LAHORE:
It was a tough day for Waris Kallu in the Punjab Assembly on Saturday, as members continued to criticise him for “eating the words he uttered previously” and praising the Punjab Chief Minister, Shahbaz Sharif.
During the session – that started after a delay of 50 minutes – some of the opposition members also demanded a ‘separate budget’ for south Punjab.
However, the highlight of Saturday’s session remained Kallu bashing. The opposition ‘substantiated’ their charges by producing the record of Kallu’s statements, in which he had time and again praised Pervez Musharraf and Pervaiz Elahi, during assembly sessions from 2002-2007.
Malik Waris Kallu was censured for “literally saluting the Punjab CM” thrice on Friday, an act that he followed by terming Sharif ‘the saviour of Punjab’. It was a great embarrassment, the opposition pointed out that he “ used to salute Musharraf and Pervaiz Elahi” when they were in power.
Samina Khawar Hayat of the PML-Q read out eloquent statements by Kallu during Musharraf’s era. Kallu tried to cut her off but the Speaker did not give him the floor as Hayat continued, “Kallu used to admire Pervaiz Elahi for ‘getting funds’ and now he is doing the same for Sharif,”. Hayat pointed out, “A man who termed the 1999 coup as ‘a pleasant accident’ is now eating his words”.
Quoting Kallu from the budget session in June 2003, she said, “An accident occurred on October 12 and I will term it a pleasant accident, which ended the previous government. It was General Musharraf who saved the economy of the country.”
Reading from the text of the assembly record, carrying a speech by Waris Kallu on June 7, 2004, she said that he had alluded to Nawaz Sharif as a man “who attacked the Supreme Court, who conspired against Mohammed Khan Junejo, who killed the prime minister Benazir Bhutto’s brother” among other things.
While Hayat was going through the ‘charge sheet’, Kallu tried to cut her off but the speaker did not allow him. After the MPA had finished, the speaker allowed Waris Kallu to defend himself. “I won elections as an independent candidate in 2002 and it was the Chaudhrys, who contacted me,” he said, adding, “The Chaudhrys convinced me to join their party in a bid to ‘restore democracy’.”
While Kallu was explaining himself, opposition members including Seemal Kamran, Samia Amjad and Amna Ulfat chanted slogans calling him a lota (turncoat). However, the leader of the opposition asked his party members to let Kallu say what he was saying. Waris Kallu concluded by saying that “the allegations levelled against me” by the opposition were baseless.
Mohsin Leghari, a member of the opposition, added fuel to the fire by suggesting that Kallu move a privilege motion. “If Kallu thinks he was humiliated by the MPAs then he should move a privilege motion,” Leghari said adding the opposition would support him. This provoked laughter among several members. However, Waris Kallu didn’t show any will to do that and after exchanging a few words with his detractors, sat down.
Uzma Bukhari, a PPP MPA, criticised the Leader of the Opposition in the National Assembly, Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan, saying that he could not erase the affection for Benazir Bhutto from the people’s hearts.
On a more serious note, some of the opposition members demanded a separate budget for south Punjab so that “the feeling of uncertainty among the people of this belt can be put to rest”.
Ashraf Chohan, a PML-N MPA caused uproar with indecent remarks about MNA Kashmala Tariq. The Speaker directed that the remarks be expunged from the proceedings.
Samina Khawar Hayat also criticised the increase in allocation for the police. “The law and order situation is out of control. Why are the police given that much money?” she asked.
Sheikh Alau-ddin, a PML-Q forward bloc member, staged a walk out when he was not given additional time by the chair to continue his speech. He had pleaded that he should get additional time because his speech was disrupted by slogan-chanting by the opposition members.
It was a tough day for Waris Kallu in the Punjab Assembly on Saturday, as members continued to criticise him for “eating the words he uttered previously” and praising the Punjab Chief Minister, Shahbaz Sharif.
During the session – that started after a delay of 50 minutes – some of the opposition members also demanded a ‘separate budget’ for south Punjab.
However, the highlight of Saturday’s session remained Kallu bashing. The opposition ‘substantiated’ their charges by producing the record of Kallu’s statements, in which he had time and again praised Pervez Musharraf and Pervaiz Elahi, during assembly sessions from 2002-2007.
Malik Waris Kallu was censured for “literally saluting the Punjab CM” thrice on Friday, an act that he followed by terming Sharif ‘the saviour of Punjab’. It was a great embarrassment, the opposition pointed out that he “ used to salute Musharraf and Pervaiz Elahi” when they were in power.
Samina Khawar Hayat of the PML-Q read out eloquent statements by Kallu during Musharraf’s era. Kallu tried to cut her off but the Speaker did not give him the floor as Hayat continued, “Kallu used to admire Pervaiz Elahi for ‘getting funds’ and now he is doing the same for Sharif,”. Hayat pointed out, “A man who termed the 1999 coup as ‘a pleasant accident’ is now eating his words”.
Quoting Kallu from the budget session in June 2003, she said, “An accident occurred on October 12 and I will term it a pleasant accident, which ended the previous government. It was General Musharraf who saved the economy of the country.”
Reading from the text of the assembly record, carrying a speech by Waris Kallu on June 7, 2004, she said that he had alluded to Nawaz Sharif as a man “who attacked the Supreme Court, who conspired against Mohammed Khan Junejo, who killed the prime minister Benazir Bhutto’s brother” among other things.
While Hayat was going through the ‘charge sheet’, Kallu tried to cut her off but the speaker did not allow him. After the MPA had finished, the speaker allowed Waris Kallu to defend himself. “I won elections as an independent candidate in 2002 and it was the Chaudhrys, who contacted me,” he said, adding, “The Chaudhrys convinced me to join their party in a bid to ‘restore democracy’.”
While Kallu was explaining himself, opposition members including Seemal Kamran, Samia Amjad and Amna Ulfat chanted slogans calling him a lota (turncoat). However, the leader of the opposition asked his party members to let Kallu say what he was saying. Waris Kallu concluded by saying that “the allegations levelled against me” by the opposition were baseless.
Mohsin Leghari, a member of the opposition, added fuel to the fire by suggesting that Kallu move a privilege motion. “If Kallu thinks he was humiliated by the MPAs then he should move a privilege motion,” Leghari said adding the opposition would support him. This provoked laughter among several members. However, Waris Kallu didn’t show any will to do that and after exchanging a few words with his detractors, sat down.
Uzma Bukhari, a PPP MPA, criticised the Leader of the Opposition in the National Assembly, Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan, saying that he could not erase the affection for Benazir Bhutto from the people’s hearts.
On a more serious note, some of the opposition members demanded a separate budget for south Punjab so that “the feeling of uncertainty among the people of this belt can be put to rest”.
Ashraf Chohan, a PML-N MPA caused uproar with indecent remarks about MNA Kashmala Tariq. The Speaker directed that the remarks be expunged from the proceedings.
Samina Khawar Hayat also criticised the increase in allocation for the police. “The law and order situation is out of control. Why are the police given that much money?” she asked.
Sheikh Alau-ddin, a PML-Q forward bloc member, staged a walk out when he was not given additional time by the chair to continue his speech. He had pleaded that he should get additional time because his speech was disrupted by slogan-chanting by the opposition members.