A clear rift in the ranks of Pakistan People's Party (PPP) surfaced on Wednesday, as lawmakers from the ruling party in short spells emerged reproving each other during the Sindh Assembly's session. The Assembly session, which held here with Speaker Nisar Khohro in the chair, witnessed unpleasant discourse of blames, as the desperate legislators chose to remonstrate for the faults of their party's provincial ministers.
Despite Khohro's advise to the members to shun their disputes and focus on the legislations, the clamour by some, however, continued to echo in the house. At times it seemed the house was indebted only to PPP members as the rest were just found spectators.
Clamour rose first with exchange of bitter words between Sindh Minister for Local Governments, Aga Siraj Durrani and PPP's Dr Ahmad Ali Shah on the issue, which the minister called a media campaign against him being driven by his party's member. The second incident hit the house when a young PPP lawmaker of Omerkot district, Nawab Timor Talpur alleged senior Sindh Education Minister, Pir Mazhar-ul-Haq for uttering abusive language against some of his constituency's elected colleagues.
At the outset of the session, Durrani stood on a point of order blaming that Dr Shah was driving a media campaign against him by pointing at a an advertisement appeared in a local daily, saying that he had sent a complaint letter against him to the speaker. "The member has blamed me in the letter for maltreating the other legislators," he added.
He said he has just been frank with other members during the assembly sessions and if such an attitude of his has ever hurt anyone's feelings, he is sorry for that. However, he urged others to stop a media drive against him.
Dr Ahmad Ali Shah said writing a letter to the speaker was not a "sin", saying that a local community had protest against the minister's remarks. He said sending a letter to the speaker had just a bid to ensure respect inside the house for all members. Responding to him, Durrani said he had never uttered a word against any community, however, he was ready to offer an apology for being felt so. He said he belonged to a parliamentary family and tossing such tiny issues in the press was against his stature.
Durrani said, "he is ready to go to the homes of those who felt I maltreated them but drive against me in the press should end." Senior Sindh Education Minister said he objected to writing a complaint letter to the speaker against Durrani who has been serving as a member of the house and provincial minister. He said frankness with others should not exceed the limits.
The speaker continued to urge the members to settle their issues at his chamber and avoid arguing inside the house. On which, Sindh Food Minister, Nadir Magsi said Durrani had already apologised for whatever happened and the issue should now stand settled between both the members. Following Magsi's request, Dr Shah said he had no grudge against Durrani and if writing a letter to the speaker had ever hurt his feelings, he too apologised.
Immediately after that, Talpur stood and blamed Pir Mazhar for using abusive language against some provincial legislators during his visit to Omerkot. The remarks jolted the house again. He said the senior minister had used a bitter worded language against PPP elected representatives during a function. He said he was ready to swear on the holy Qura'n to prove his allegations, asking Pir Mazhar to do so to prove himself innocent.
Talpur said Pir Mazhar's abusive words were too immoral which one could not repeat in the house. He said the senior minister should mind his language. He said Pir Mazhar was the most "disliked" person of Sindh. He said the minister had disrespected the universities teachers, maltreated them and now doing so with the elected legislators. However, Pir Mazhar listened to the criticism and allegations against him patiently, while the Speaker ordered to turn off Talpur's microphone and asked the minister if he wanted to clarify his position.
Pir Mazhar rejected the allegations and said he had never been so harsh to anyone. Seeing the house tense, the speaker said the issue would now be settled outside the assembly. He told Talpur the issue should have not come to the house as it was the second incident of the day, which disturbed the proceedings.
Meanwhile, Sindh Agriculture Minister, Syed Ali Nawaz Shah rebuked all those involved in blaming each other, saying that this was tarnishing his party's image. The Speaker later gave a ruling to omit all those words, which the members had expressed against each other from the record of house's proceedings. Khohro latter adjourned the house till Friday.