Ruling party, opposition MPs brawl in Pakistan provincial assembly
KARACHI, Pakistan (AA) – Opposing legislators wrestled with fists and roughed each other up on Saturday in a provincial assembly in Pakistan just moments before the election of a new chief minister.
The provincial assembly was convened on the orders of a high court in Lahore, Punjab’s capital, to elect the province’s new chief minister, following the resignation of Usman Buzdar from the key office earlier this month.
Buzdar, a member of the ruling Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), stepped down amid an ongoing political crisis that resulted in a successful no-confidence motion against former Prime Minister Imran Khan a week ago.
Footage on several local broadcasters showed a group of PTI lawmakers attacking and manhandling Deputy Speaker Dost Mohammad Mazari, who was presiding over the session on Lahore High Court orders.
This promoted opposition members to jump into the conflict, triggering a free-for-all in the house.
In the melee, rival parliamentarians threw fists and kicked each other.
The PTI accused the deputy speaker, who also belongs to the PTI, of siding with the opposition, the Pakistan Muslim League (Nawaz group), and its allies, which claim to have enjoyed a simple majority to clinch the key post.
Opposition lawmakers and the sergeant-at-arms were seen accompanying the deputy speaker out of the parliament house.
Anti-riot police were also rushed in to avert more clashes between rival legislators and their supporters outside the house.
National Assembly lower house gets new speaker
In a related development, the National Assembly, or the lower house of parliament, elected a new speaker on Saturday.
Former Prime Minister Raja Pervaiz Ashraf was elected unopposed as speaker.
His election followed the resignation of his predecessor, Asad Qaisar, who stepped down last week after refusing to take a vote on the no-confidence motion against the former prime minister.
Ashraf, a member of the PPP, the government’s main coalition partner, was prime minister from 2012 to 2013.
Have Your Say!
Have you been affected by the issues raised in this story? Please share your experiences by emailing haveyoursay@soundvision.com.
Please include a contact number if you are willing to speak to a Muslim Network TV’s representative. You can also get in touch in the following ways:
Tweet: @MuslimNetworkTV
We must take charge of our narrative. Research indicates that 92% of their Muslim coverage is negative. Help us change that.
