Disorder in the house: Treasury lawmaker escorted out for outburst over funds

MPA claims PK-31 being ignored in distribution of promised allocations.

PESHAWAR: An outburst from a coalition partner during Monday’s assembly session left the treasury benches embarrassed. As one of their own attempted to protest in the centre of the house for being left out of the distribution of public health engineering funds, the government was left with little choice but to physically intervene.

The house spiraled into to a state of chaos when a treasury lawmaker grabbed an emotional Awami Jamhoori Ittehad Pakistan (AJIP) MPA Babar Saleem Khan by the arm and forcibly rushed him out of the house after he refused to stop interrupting Minister for Public Health Engineering Shah Farman. The furor forced Speaker Asad Qaiser to send the MPAs for a break just minutes into a session that already started an hour-and-a-half late.



The situation quickly took centre stage as the session started. Babar stood on a point of order and asked the speaker for permission to address the house for about 10 minutes.

According to the infuriated lawmaker, as per a fund-sharing formula between the five lawmakers of AJIP, they were to be allotted 7% of public health engineering (PHE) funds. However, he claimed his constituency had been ignored and his share of the funds was handed to another lawmaker.

He said two constituencies of Swabi PK-32 and PK-33 had been allocated Rs70 million and Rs80 million respectively while Shangla’s constituency PK-88 had been allocated Rs90 million. His constituency PK-31 was not given a single penny, said Babar.

Babar said it was unjust to deny his constituency of its rightful funds, adding AJIP lawmaker Khatoon Bibi had been given Rs75 million.

Farman tried to pacify the MPA, saying there would be no politics over drinking water schemes and all constituencies would get their fair share—whether the lawmakers representing them were from the treasury or the opposition. He added the chief minister was the final authority and anyone feeling wronged can discuss the matter with him.

However, this failed to satisfy Babar who continued to interrupt Farman’s speech, thumping his desk inviting jeers from opposition lawmakers.

Taking matters in his own hands, Jamaat-e-Islami’s Mohammad Ali went to Babar’s seat, grabbed the irate MPA and tried to lead him out of the house and into the lobby. His aggressive gesture did not sit well with opposition members who stood up from their seats and created a ruckus in the house.

The speaker gave the floor to Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl lawmaker Mehmood Khan Bhittani to present his privilege motion, however, he could not continue amid the commotion. Subsequently, Qaiser adjourned the house for prayer break amid the ruckus.

Supporting the other

When the session resumed later, opposition leader Maulana Lutfur Rehman protested over the treasury members’ behaviour, saying it breached house privilege. He said any MPA can stage a walkout on their own, but the speaker cannot force a member out of the house in such a manner. He added the AJIP MPA was a member of the house and maintained every right to protest on the floor. Minister for Local Government Inayatullah said Babar was not forced out of the house, but simply taken to the lobby.

Adviser to chief minister Amjad Afridi told the house that Khattak had given assurances that the problem faced by Babar would be addressed.

Local council bill

The house also passed the K-P Delimitation of Local Councils Bill 2015 with amendments.

The K-P Subordinate Judiciary Service Tribunal (amendment) Bill 2015 was also tabled while the K-P Technical Education and Vocational Training Authority Bill 2015 was sent to a select committee. The session was later adjourned till Tuesday afternoon.

Published in The Express Tribune, January 13^th, 2015.