- PTI lawmaker claims to be assaulted by son of PM Abbasi
The victory of the Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) led alliance’s Sadiq Sanjrani did not go down well with the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) as just after his victory, a scuffle broke out in the visitor gallery of the Senate, reportedly initiated by the son of Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi.
The scuffle, between PTI lawmaker Hamidul Haq and Abdullah Abbasi, the PM’s son, started when newly appointed Senate Chairman Sadiq Sanjrani was being congratulated after his victory, amid chants of pro-Zardari slogans.
Haq too was participating in the sloganeering when he fell on Abbasi as another individual tried to seat him by pulling on his arm. Subsequently, a heated verbal argument ensued between the two, which quickly escalated into a brawl. The two were eventually separated by lawmakers and Senate staff present in the gallery.
Subsequently, PTI’s Haq was taken outside the house by PML-N leader Chaudhry Jafer Iqbal, while security guards took Abdullah outside the house as well.
“When I started sloganeering in PTI’s favour, an outsider came and grabbed my neck from behind and choked my throat,” claimed PTI’s Hamid. He said that he would file a complaint with the NA speaker in this regard.
“I will ask how someone who is not a lawmaker came to the upper house accompanied by three guards,” he complained.
However, in a late night clarification, Information Minister Marriyum Aurangzeb said that son of Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi was “not part of the unfortunate incident [scuffle] in the Senate”.
In a statement, the minister said that like others, prime minister’s son Abdullah along with his family and friends was present in Senate gallery to witness the election process.
She said that the prime minister had regretted the unfortunate incident. Irrespective of the fact who was at fault, the prime minister apologised to the member of national assembly, PTI’s Hamidul Haq, over the incident.
