Uproar in Punjab PA over remarks against PM

LAHORE: Punjab Assembly on Friday witnessed uproar after the objectionable remarks by PPP-P Parliamentary leader who also alleged that Prime Minister wanted to turn every Pakistani child into a beggar.

The PA session, which started with a delay of nearly one and a half hours with Chairman of Panel Mian Shafi Muhammad in chair held a debate over food and agriculture. During the debate over agriculture, Syed Hassan Murtaza, the PPP-P Punjab Parliamentary leader grilled the government for its agriculture policies and said that a country like Pakistan that used to export wheat was now importing it.

He said that the farmer of Punjab who used to provide food to the nation was finding it really hard to make his both ends meet. The situation got tense when Syed Hassan Murtaza used the word “beggar” for Prime Minister and alleged that his children were studying abroad and their fee was being paid by Jews but the Pakistani farmer couldn't fight such price hike. His remarks invited criticism from the ruling party MPAs who lodged a serious protest against the remarks of Syed Hassan Murtaza.

The Treasury members continued to interrupt Syed Hassan Murtaza after which he announced staging a walkout. Other opposition members joined him as well.

Law Minister Raja Basharat on the occasion stated that Syed Hassan Murtaza was a respectable colleague but if the leadership of our party was criticised in this way, the Treasury benches wouldn't accept it. On the request of Raja Basharat, the chairman ordered to expunge the objectionable remarks made by Syed Hassan Murtaza.

Moreover, the Law Minister on the occasion also requested the chair to issue the ruling that no member could receive the video of his speech without the permission of the Speaker. He said that the remarks expunged by the chair were still running on social media and it was because members receive the video copies of their speeches from the assembly staff and upload them on social media. He said it was the prerogative of the member to get a copy of his speech but it must be done after the permission from the chair.

The chairman on the occasion gave ruling that no member should be issued his, her video regarding the House proceedings without the permission of the Speaker.