PTI, PPP stage walkout against MNA’s remarks

• Opposition members express strong reservations for using indecent language, demand MNA’s ouster
• Ruling party lawmaker refuses to offer a formal apology, accuses PTI chief for encouraging lawmakers to violence

The Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) on Friday expressed solidarity with the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) as the lawmakers from both the opposition parties staged a token walkout from the National Assembly session in protest to the remarks made by MNA Javaid Latif, a ruling Pakistan Muslim League-N lawmaker, against the family members of MNA Murad Saeed.

It merits mention that National Assembly Speaker Ayaz Sadiq has already constituted a six-member parliamentary committee headed by MNA Ghous Bux Mehar to investigate the indecent incident involving Latif and Murad. The committee will submit its report by March 16, 2017 to the speaker. PTI leader Dr Arif Alvi sought suspension of the membership of ruling party lawmaker, the treasury members also rose from their seats to respond to the PTI’s demand.

In a surprise move, the PPP members joined forces with the PTI members. “We have reservations on the committee formed to take up the row (involving Javaid Latif and Murad Saeed). It was the partisan approach of the deputy speaker who did not give floor to PTI’s lawmakers to respond the accusation made by MNA Javaid Latif about the fellow lawmaker. It was unfair to use such language against the family members of Murad Saaed,” he said while speaking on a point of personal explanation.

He argued how the PML-N lawmakers would react if the PTI members would call Nawaz Sharif a ‘traitor.’ Taking the floor, MNA Ali Muhammad Khan expressed strong reservations for using allegedly abusive language against Murad Saaed. “Membership of Javaid Latif should be suspended and action should be taken against him,” he demanded.

He also said that despite ideological differences, the PTI lawmakers can never think of calling Nawaz Sharif a traitor. The PTI lawmaker demanded that remarks made by the ruling party’s MNA should be expunged. “A Pashtun can take a bullet to his chest but can’t tolerate abusive language,” he explained, adding that abusive language by Javaid Latif had compelled Murad to hurl a punch at him.

One of the PPP lawmakers also pointed out quorum and after counting, the quorum fell short. Later, the house was adjourned for around half an hour. However, in a new trend, as the government lawmakers did not leave the house and made speeches while the house was adjourned. In the suspended period, Minister for Railways Saad Rafique blamed Murad Saeed for attacking different government lawmakers.

He argued that the PTI wanted to start a civil war in the country. MNA Latif, who also spoke in the suspended period, also took the PTI leadership to task, saying that this attitude would not be acceptable to the nation. He vowed to stuck to his words come what may. Interestingly, Latif did eat his own words within half an hour by telling journalists outside the Parliament House that he repented his words used against the family members of Murad Saeed.

However, Latif refused to offer a formal apology to Murad Saeed. He went on to admit that he had used a few indecent words which he did not wish to repeat. “I won’t go into the details of whether what I said was right or wrong, but I acknowledge I should not have passed indecent remarks,” he said. In a bid to divert debate from his remarks, he again accused PTI chief Imran Khan for encouraging his lawmakers to violence.

“Imran Khan says that he would have gone 10 steps further had he been there. Is he imparting these values to his workers,” he argued.

Read more: Inquiry into Murad Saeed, Javed Latif scuffle ordered