Ruckus in PA as treasury, opposition trade graft charges.

KARACHI -- The Sindh Assembly session on Monday was adjourned after the proceedings were marred by hooliganism of members of the ruling Pakistan Peoples Party and opposition Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf as they chanted slogans against each other's leadership for 'harbouring' corruption.

The house witnessed chaos and uproar when PPP's Sharjeel Inam Memon, who was presiding over the proceedings as chairman, did not initially allow PTI member Arsalan Taj to make a speech on his calling-attention notice regarding reappointment of government officers involved in plea bargain or voluntary return.

'As per rules, you can just read out your calling-attention notice but a speech cannot be made,' the chair told the PTI lawmaker.

Mr Taj, however, insisted that every member used to make a speech on his calling-attention notice. 'As per practice of the assembly in the last two and a half years, since we were elected as MPAs, a member moving calling-attention notice is allowed to make a speech,' he said.

The chair adjourns the sitting till 25th due to unruly attitude of PPP and PTI lawmakers

A visibly irked chairman told the PTI member that he could not change the rules as 'this assembly strictly follows the rules'.

Later, on the intervention of other PTI members, the chair allowed Mr Taj to speak.

Murad accused of appointing 'tainted' officer

The PTI lawmaker vehemently criticized Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah for appointing a person 'who had voluntarily returned Rs12 million to the National Accountability Bureau' as finance secretary.

He asked the government what action was taken against the officers involved in plea bargain or voluntary return of the swindled money.

'They [government officers] had made plea bargain, which showed that they were involved in misappropriation,' he said, adding that the chief minister, who also holds the finance portfolio, had appointed a man as the finance secretary who had voluntarily returned Rs12m in 2016.

He remarked that these 'blue-eyed' officers worked as 'frontmen' for the government.

Parliamentary Affairs Minister Mukesh Kumar Chawla rose to hit back, asking the federal government to arrest 'cheeni chor' (sugar thief) without mentioning any name.

'Everybody knows who are giving shelter to cheeni chor and who are the people he works for as frontman,' he retorted.

As the minister and Mr Taj were exchanging words, other legislators of the PPP and PTI kept chanting slogans and counter slogans with the chair trying to...

To continue reading

Request your trial

VLEX uses login cookies to provide you with a better browsing experience. If you click on 'Accept' or continue browsing this site we consider that you accept our cookie policy. ACCEPT