* Ghafoor pushes Bushra Gerdaizi after she displays placard against CM * Khosa denies supporting Punjab’s division, Riaz accuses PML-Q MPA of conspiring to divide Punjab

Tuesday, June 30, 2009 By Rana Kashif and Mateen Kaul



LAHORE: Punjab Minister for Prisons Chaudhry Abdul Ghafoor, from the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N), on Monday manhandled a burqa-clad female MPA of the opposition in the Punjab Assembly (PA) for displaying a placard against Chief Minister (CM) Shahbaz Sharif.

The opposition demanded the minister be sacked, and a case be registered against him for physically assaulting a female MPA, who was allowed under the law to express her mind on the floor of the House. The opposition walked out after the minister attacked the female MPA.

Maneka: Pakistan Muslim League-Quaid (PML-Q) ‘unification bloc’ MPA Atta Maneka walked out with the PML-Q, and strongly criticised the incident, calling it undemocratic and immoral. It all started when Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) MPA Sardar Athar Gorchani, speaking on a point of order, thanked PML-N Punjab President Sardar Zulfiqar Khosa for endorsing the demand of MPAs from Southern Punjab that the province be divided into two parts on administrative grounds, and not on any other bases.

Division: In reply to the statement, Khosa said the MPA from Rajanpur (Gorchani) was in a state of great confusion, and said he had not supported the demand for two provinces. He said he was an opponent of Punjab being divided.

PML-Q MPA Mohsin Leghari recited a prayer by Hazrat Musa (AS), about the loosening of knots in his tongue, and asked where the PPP was when the water of South Punjab was stopped. At this, Senior Minister Raja Riaz called Leghari a traitor and alleged that he was an Indian agent. He said the MPA was conspiring to divide Punjab, and the PPP and the PML-N were against the division.

Members of the opposition started shouting “chor machaye shor”, which led the treasury MPAs, particularly those from the PPP, to raise a hue and cry. Leghari and other opposition members tried addressing the House on points of order, but Speaker Rana Iqbal did not allow it. Speaking on a point of order, Leader of the Opposition Chaudhry Zaheerud Din said there was no use of sitting in the assembly if the opposition was not given a chance to speak on the floor of the House.

Zaheer said the opposition could also talk of the National Reconciliation Ordinance (NRO), but it wanted to cooperate with the treasury. He said the opposition would walk out if it was not given a chance to speak.

Meanwhile, Khosa started criticising the Leghari clan, which added more fuel to the fire with PML-Q MPA Bushra Nawaz Gerdaizi, wearing a burqa, displaying a placard inscribed with a slogan against the CM.

The scuffle: The prisons minister ran to the opposition benches. The opposition members tried to stop him, but he managed to reach Gerdaizi and started scuffling with her. He snatched the placard, and pushed Gerdaizi down on the benches.

Another PML-N MPA threw a bundle of budget booklets at PML-Q MPA Dr Samia Amjad, which hit her in the head. A number of MPAs started throwing budget books at each other. One of the books hit PML-Q MPA Samina Khawar Hayat on her head.