Like leader, like followers: PTI MPs bite the hand that feeds

• NA Deputy Speaker Javed Abbasi stops PTI lawmakers from discussing the resolution against Khan and Sheikh on the floor
• MNAs Murad Saeed, Engineer Hanidul Haq and Shehryar Afridi hurl insults at Abbasi after adjournment of session

ISLAMABAD: Drawing inspiration from the remarks of party chief Imran Khan, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) lawmakers repeated derogatory words as they cursed parliament in the National Assembly (NA) on Friday.

Imran Khan had, in his address during Wednesday’s multi-party protest led by Pakistan Awami Tehreek (PAT) of Tahirul Qadri in Lahore, cursed parliament and questioned its integrity as a reliable state institution.

Khan had cursed parliament for “making a criminal the president of a party” while referring to the approval of Election Act 2017 by parliament that paved the way for ousted prime minister Nawaz Sharif to become the head of the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) after his disqualification.

Khan’s “curses” and Awami Muslim League (AML) chief Sheikh Rashid’s derogatory remarks had drawn flak from all quarters, with the National Assembly unanimously passing a resolution against the two on Thursday.

On Friday, PTI lawmakers refused to bow down as MNAs Murad Saeed, Engineer Hanidul Haq and Shehryar Afridi continued hurling insults at Deputy Speaker Murtaza Javed Abbasi for showing bias towards Khan after he refused to allow them to use the floor to discuss the resolution passed against Khan and Sheikh.

Repeated attempts by the PTI lawmakers to talk about the issue were denied by the deputy speaker.

Earlier, the deputy speaker had given assurances to members of National Assembly (MNAs) belonging to the PTI that they would be allowed to discuss the issue once the business of the house for the day was finalised.

PTI’s Murad Saeed, however, threatened the deputy speaker that he would point out quorum if they were not granted the space to defend their party chief.

Sensing a loss of decorum, the deputy speaker hastily adjourned the sitting till Monday due to which many agenda items were not discussed.

Talking to reporters outside the parliament house, Murad said that any parliament that enacts a certain law to provide legal cover to a criminal was not worthy of any praise. “I refuse to change my stance regarding this parliament because it has miserably failed to pass any legislation for the benefit of the general public and instead lent support to criminal elements.”

He alleged that PTI lawmakers were being denied the right to use the assembly floor to respond to the allegations against Khan made by the leaders of other political parties. Not allowing us to speak on the floor of the house was a part of a well-planned strategy against us, he added.

Meanwhile, the house also discussed the growing incidents of child abuse and murders in the country, especially after the issue created a public uproar after the rape and murder of a minor girl in Kasur district of Punjab.

The Minister for Parliamentary Affairs Sheikh Aftab earlier moved a motion in the house to constitute a special committee to investigate child abuse cases and recommend remedies in this connection. As a result, the house adopted the motion and constituted a 10-member committee, headed by Minister Talal Chaudhry. The committee was ordered to write and submit a report within 30 days. In addition, the house also discussed a calling attention notice in connection with the upsurge in landmine explosions in South Waziristan.