Uproar in PA over remarks against minority MPA

LAHORE : Punjab Assembly on Monday witnessed severe uproar and disorder over the remarks of a senior official of PA against PML-N minority MPA Khalil Tahir Sindhu.

The PML-N demanded immediate formation of committee to probe the incident that involved Inayat Lak, the Director General Parliamentary Affairs Punjab Assembly, who allegedly passed remarks against a Christian MPA.

“Is it a crime to be a member of minority community in Pakistan, I will leave this country if we continue to be treated this way” said Khalil Tahir Sindhu, a PML-N minority MPA as well as former provincial minister.

The matter was brought into the notice of Punjab Assembly Deputy Speaker Mir Dost Muhammad Mazari who chaired the PA session until it was prorogued.

Khalil Tahir Sindhu told the House that in order to submit a call attention notice related to the assault and murder of an 11-year-old Christian boy Badal who belonged to Faisalabad, he went to the office of Inayat Ullah Lak. He said he was plainly refused by the official who had stated that his call attention notice couldn’t be submitted in the Secretariat just because he criticised Chaudhry Pervaiz Elahi, the Speaker Punjab Assembly. He said when both of them had an argument over this issue Inayat Lak used humiliating remarks against minorities.

With tears in his eyes, Khalil Tahir Sindhu addressed the PA and put the question whether it was a crime to be the part of minority after which he staged a sit-in in front of the Speaker’s dice.

The MPA also covered his mouth with black ribbon to register protest. Malik Waris Kallu and other MPAs of PML-N also lodged serious protest while demanding immediate inquiry of the incident. Another MPA of PML-N Tariq Masih Gill also grilled the official for using objectionable remarks. Meanwhile, situation got further tense in Punjab Assembly when Provincial Minister Chaudhry Zaheer-ud-Din and PML-N MPA Rana Mashhood exchanged heated argument over the issue related to objectionable language against former Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto.

Chaudhry Zaheer-ud-Din, who himself remained associated with PPP until mid 90s, stated that Nawaz Sharif used objectionable language against Benazir Bhutto in past and called her a security risk.

“What Nawaz Sharif had said about Benazir, I will like to show it on screen” said Chaudhry Zaheer.

On these remarks, Syed Hassan Murtaza, the PPP Parliamentary leader stood up and stated that objectionable language was being used in the House but chair wasn’t showing any concern.

He said that PPP had always shown respect to women but if the government didn’t mend its ways, we could also open the chapter related to Sita White as well as the money earned by Aleema Khan through sewing machines. Syed Hassan Murtaza said that PPP hadn’t come to power with the help of boots but it was the sacrifice of our leadership due to which we were here. After this, Syed Hassan Murtaza and Shazia Abid, both PPP MPAs staged a walkout.

Later, the quorum was pointed out by a ruling party MPA and Opposition, on whose requisition the session was held, couldn’t meet it. The session was prorogued by the deputy speaker.