Opposition lawmakers hijacked the Pakistan People’s Party-led coalition government’s unveiling of the fifth budget on Friday, trading punches during angry scuffles in parliament. As Finance Minister Abdul Hafeez Shaikh began his budget speech, 25 to 30 PML-N parliamentarians surrounded him as well as Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gilani and filled the space between Shaikh’s podium and the NA speaker’s dais, heckling and shouting. To avert an attack on the prime minister and the finance minister, PPP lawmakers Imtiaz Safdar Warraich, Begum Nasim Akhtar Chaudhry, Javed Iqbal Warraich, Jamshed Dasti and Nauman Islam Sheikh formed a human shield and kept pushing the angry PML-N parliamentarians away. The repeated warnings by the NA speaker asking parliamentarians to observe rules and regulations fell on deaf ears as the enraged PML-N members continued chanting slogans against the president, the prime minister and the government. “End load shedding,” they cried. “This government is stealing electricity”, “the corrupt rulers should quit”, “let the poor live”, “respect the constitution” and “people want electricity, water and gas”, they shouted. The opposition was seen visibly divided as other opposition parties such as the JUI-F, and the PPP-Sherpao were not seen actively participating in the rumpus. In the absence of their party chief Fazlur Rahman, the JUI-F parliamentarians remained seated and kept watching the ugly scene unfold in front of them. Some member from both the sides tried to defuse the situation when PML-N legislators Shakeel Awan, Hanif Abbasi, Shahid Khaqan Abbasi, Capt (r) Safdar, Sohail Zia Butt and PPP’s legislators Javed Iqbal Wariach, and Rai Mujtaba Kharal started trading punches. The efforts, however, remained unsuccessful and yet another scuffle started between PPP’s Jamshaid Dasti and PML-Ns’ Umar Sohail Zia Butt which was defused with the timely intervention of Interior Minister Rehman Malik and some member of the PML-N. Women parliamentarians, PPP’s Firdous Ashiq Awan and PML-N’s Anusha Rehman also exchanged harsh words. Their verbal brawl lasted almost 20 minutes.
Later, rejecting the federal budget 2012-13, Leader of the Opposition in the NA Nisar Ali Khan, who did not attend budget session, told reporters at the Parliament House that the government had “lost its senses like a lost gambler”.
“The sloganeering of the PML-N parliamentarians in the House was the reflection of the sentiments of the people of the country… today masses are facing inflation, terrorism and outages of power but the rulers are not listening to their cries of pain,” he said.
Ahsan Iqbal told reporters that the rulers had ended the masses’ desire to live. “The government’s budget score is minus zero… the economy has collapsed in the last five years,” he claimed. JUI-F leader Attaur Rehman called the budget a replica of the past four budgets, adding that nothing new had been mentioned in the budget document.
Looks like this is the best our MPs can do, ie provide short time entertainment to the nation. After that they are all the same.
Party(PML(N)) whose leaders eat "siri Paye" cannot perform better then they performed during the budget speach.
Does Dr Mirza expect anything to change after the 4th of June?!
It is PTI or PMLN workers or supporters who are running mad becoz of this fifth year in power. I am sure no doctor will ever be able to treat their madness after next election, becoz next election will also be won by PPP and allies NS and IK will living in a mad house. Rural Punjab, Seraiki area, Sindh and KP are with PPP and allies. It is few Punjabi cities who r crying. Next elections will bring another PPP govt and disappointment for opponents
IF PPP or PMLN come into power, it will only be due to extortion/ murder & bribes by pathetic party slaves, oops, workers such as yourself.
Next election will bring your head along with ZArdari & Gilani's. Enjoy.
PPP would form next government with the help of Imran Khan….God willing!
Are you mad?
AjazHaque, such things r not uncommon in politics. Greater surprises happen in the world of politics. So, dont get disturbed
Disgraceful behaviour by politicians.
What a country, what a parliament and what a democracy. Do these so called law makers are paid high salries and goven all the provillages for behaving like this. This is a failed state and most screwed up country. I have no doubt this country will ceased to exit ss we know today. I guess that is what is agenda of corrupt and immoral Drug lord Gilani and murderer Zaradari
There will be justice. Lets not lose hope.
Pakistani Politicians are worse than Animals . Even Animals respect their own Breed .
the ppp government must now resign,if they have some sort of dignity and honor in their hearts for pakistan,for democracy and for the welfare of the general naton.
Who is this donkey Reckless? I see the same comments from him in every post. Seems like he copies them to each post. If it made sense, I could understand but he just comes across as someone who is clueless. What a moron.
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