Cheema, Zartaj 'bury the hatchet' following NA brawl

Following a verbal brawl between PML-Q lawmaker Tariq Bashir Cheema and PTI-backed Sunni Ittehad Council’s (SIC) MNA Zartaj Gul, the former tendered an apology to the latter.

The development came after NA Speaker Ayaz Sadiq's intervention into the matter as he resolved the issue in a dignified manner. Leader of the Opposition Omar Ayub Khan thanked the speaker for its role in the matter.

Confirming the report, PTI Chairman Barrister Gohar Ali Khan along with Gul — during an interaction with journalists — said: “Tariq Bashir Cheema has tendered an apology to Zartaj Gul.”

“Zartaj Gul has pardoned Tariq Bashir Cheema,” he confirmed.

For her part, Gul said that she had forgiven Cheema as per the decision of her party’s leadership

Earlier in the day, the lower house of the parliament witnessed pandemonium after the PML-N’s Cheema, after concluding his speech on the assembly’s floor, suddenly moved towards PTI’s Gul and reportedly hurled cuss words at her.

Cheema lost his temper as Gul, during his speech, kept referring to Islamia University of Bahawalpur scandal.

The Bahawalpur university scandal regarding drugs and sexual harassment of female students allegedly involving Cheema’s son, came into the limelight in July last year. Cheema, however, had denied the media reports, saying that he himself would “evict his son from his home” if proven guilty.

Following an altercation between Gul and Cheema, the former ruling party said that it was mulling to lodge a first information report (FIR) against the latter.

Cheema’s today's “inappropriate” remarks for Gull enraged the PTI lawmakers as they moved to the treasury benches to grab him but he was rescued by the MNAs from the ruling alliance.

Responding to the incident, PTI MNA Sher Afzal Marwat said: “We are mulling to lodge an FIR against Tariq Bashir Cheema.”

“There is no moral in it. Then they [ruling alliance] talk about the sanctity of parliament.”

Referring to the Pakistan Penal Code (PPC), the PTI lawmaker said that it was an “offence”. He further said that his party’s team was talking with the NA Speaker Ayaz Sadiq over the incident.

Meanwhile, a delegation of the PTI met with the speaker and sought action against the PML-Q lawmaker for his “inappropriate” remarks against the female MNA. Sources said that PML-N’s Chief Whip Tariq Fazal Chaudhry was also present in the meeting.

“NA Speaker Ayaz Sadiq and PMN-N Chief Whip Tariq Fazal Chaudhry call the incident regrettable,” the sources said.

The PTI lawmakers demanded the NA speaker suspend Cheema’s membership till the budget session. Shandana Gulzar and Gull demanded the speaker to lodge a case against Cheema, the sources added.

However, the speaker, resolved the matter in a dignified manner.