Opposition stage protest against Ali Muhammad’s diatribe

The National Assembly’s session on Friday was adjourned after members of the opposition staged a protest against Minister of State for Parliamentary Affairs Ali Muhammad Khan’s diatribe against MNAs Mohsin Dawar and Ali Wazir.

Deputy Speaker Qasim Khan Suri announced the adjournment as parliamentarians from both sides came face-to-face on the assembly floor after Khan’s scathing criticism which included certain unparliamentary terms of the two Pashtun Tahaffuz Movement (PTM) leaders.

The state minister, while responding to a question, accused the two MNAs of harbouring anti-Pakistan sentiments and questioned their loyalty to the country.

Khan accused Dawar and Wazir of being “touts” of Afghanistan’s intelligence agency, the National Directorate of Security, and called for their expulsion as members of Pakistan’s Parliament.

His provocative comments drew a sharp response from the opposition benches as Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) leaders, including Bilawal Bhutto Zardari, stood up to register their protest midway through Khan’s address.

The situation soon escalated as lawmakers from other opposition parties, including Pakistan Muslim League Nawaz (PML-N), joined in the protest and surrounded the speaker’s dais.