Govt, opp MPAs in verbal slugfest over Imran Khan

Treasury members express solidarity, opposition alleges ex-PM sowing hatred

LAHORE:

The treasury members of Punjab Assembly expressed solidarity with former prime minister Imran Khan, while opposition lawmakers held a demonstration against him outside the building of the legislature on Wednesday.

Participating in the assembly proceedings, members from the treasury benches termed FIRs registered against Imran Khan “false and a coward move of the federal government”.

The opposition lawmakers accused the former prime minister of maligning the judiciary and humiliating police officers.

Inside the assembly chambers, the coalition members unanimously passed a resolution demanding that the federal government withdraw the cases registered against Khan.

They termed the registration of FIRs on terrorism charges a move to create chaos and derail the country from the democratic path. This conduct had tarnished Pakistan’s image worldwide.

They said such 'cowardly' moves could not stop the PTI from its struggle against 'imported government'.

The resolution read that the house expressed its complete solidarity with Imran Khan and condemned the government’s steps.

Outside the assembly chambers, the PML-N lawmakers protested against the former prime minister's alleged remarks against the judiciary and police officers. They chanted slogans that “disgracing judiciary is unacceptable”.

They said Imran Khan always resorted to humiliating institutions but they will not tolerate such conduct anymore.

The opposition lawmakers said Khan had created hatred amongst the people against each other.

During question and answer session, Speaker Sibtain Khan did not pay heed to a request of PML-N’s Muhammad Arshad Malik to not defer the questions on the agenda of members who had not reached the assembly on time.

He said the purpose of the questions was to seek replies from the departments and hold a debate on them. He said the decision to defer the queries should be taken at the end of the question hour.

Published in The Express Tribune, August 25^th, 2022.