The Upper House of parliament turned into a fish market on Tuesday after Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) Senator Mushahidullah Khan criticised the government for its alleged patronisation of the people who recently set ablaze PML-N offices in interior Sindh.
The allegation triggered a unruly argument and Chairman Ilyas Bilour warned the senators of adjourning the House if they continued with the same.
Mushahidullah Khan was rebutted by PPP members Leader of the House Nayyar Bukhari, Almas Parveen, Maula Buksh Chandio and Sabir Baloch, with all levelling allegations against each other amidst the chaos. Mushahidullah said a serving police officer from Jacobabad, Khuda Buksh Panwar, said on record that the PPP was behind the burning of PML-N offices. He said no FIR was yet registered over the incidents, rather some of the applicants from Nawab Shah had been arrested.
Nayyar Bukhari took the lead to respond to the allegations, followed by Almas Parveen, Sabir Baloch and Maula Buksh Chandio. In response, Mushahid labelled the government fascist and questioned the seriousness of the leader of the House in running the business of the House. Later, Law Minister Maula Buksh Chandio told the House that the government could not support any such act and assured that it would investigate the matter.
Earlier, the treasury and opposition senators criticised the government for corruption in state institutions. Treasury Senator Zahid Khan said the government was least bothered about Supreme Court’s directions regarding corruption, adding that the NHA was amongst the most corrupt state institutions and awarded contracts without merit.
Senator Azam Swati was also of the same view and warned that in the coming days, the people might see many government functionaries behind bars. He told the House that he had proof of corruption of billions of rupees in state institutions and sought the chairman’s ruling so as to put them before the parliamentary committee.
However, Nayyar Bukhari said the government condemned corruption in any form and would have been better if the parliamentarians had adopted the proper mechanism to raise such issues.
Ishaq Dar said that without proper check and balance and accountability, democracy could not flourish. He demanded the government to turn the new accountability bill into law as early as possible. Afrasiab Khattak also criticised the government for its non-seriousness towards House business. Senator Safdar Abbasi asked the government to mend its ways, otherwise the country would plunge into economic crisis.
Members from FATA, backed by PML-N, JUI-F, JI, ANP and PKMAP, staged a token walk out from the House against delay in the release of development funds for the Tribal Areas.
