Islamabad (Staff Report/Agencies): Opposition parties staged a protest in the National Assembly over Minister of State for Parliamentary Affairs Ali Muhammad Khan’s diatribe against MNAs Mohsin Dawar and Ali Wazir.
After the protest, Deputy Speaker Qasim Khan Suri announced the adjournment of the session as parliamentarians from both sides came face-to-face on the assembly floor after Khan’s scathing criticism – which included certain unparliamentary terms – of the two Pashtun Tahaffuz Movement (PTM) leaders.
Responding to a question, Ali Muhammad Khan accused the two MNAs of harbouring anti-Pakistan sentiments and questioned their loyalty to the country.
The state minister accused Dawar and Wazir of being “touts” of Afghanistan’s intelligence agency, the National Directorate of Security, and called for their expulsion as members of Pakistan’s Parliament.
Khan said Pakistan has been hosting millions of Afghan refugees over the last four decades. He said Afghanistan is our fraternal country but it owes answer to us as to why a son of Pakistani land SP Tahir Dawar was martyred on their land.
Ali Muhammad Khan regretted the language used by certain elements in North Waziristan against Pakistan and its state institution. He said those behind this have no right to sit in this House and their membership should be cancelled.
His provocative comments drew a sharp response from the opposition benches as Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) leaders, including Bilawal Bhutto Zardari, stood up to register their protest midway through Khan’s address.
The situation soon escalated as lawmakers from other opposition parties, including Pakistan Muslim League – Nawaz (PML-N), joined in the protest and surrounded the speaker’s dais.