Ruckus a routine at Punjab PA

LAHORE, March 30: The Punjab Assembly members, it seems, cannot conduct themselves decently even for a short time; every day, on the slightest provocation, they stoop to new lows, leapfrogging all limits of decency to hoot and abuse one another. On Thursday, the house proceedings, which began 95 minutes late than the scheduled time of 10am, quickly denigrated into a pandemonium within ten minutes of their start, and for the rest of day no one knew who was hooting and abusing whom. Speaker Rana Muhammad Iqbal, who had been reduced to a helpless spectator, restricted himself to expunging "non-parliamentary remarks," which were coming thick and fast from all sides. It all started as soon as Sheikh Allaudin (Unification Bloc) took the floor to ask a supplementary question on under discussion Home Department, and Samina Khawar Hayat (PML-Q) had a jibe at him for being a 'turncoat' (lota). The Sheikh, who is also known for quickly losing temper and then resorting to, what speaker called, "non-parliamentary language," was quick to tell Ms Hayat that those "purchasing make-up kits in the garb of medicines from provincial exchequer" should not try to shame others for being turncoat. Once the argument started, both Treasury and Opposition came to the support of their respective members and a mud-slinging match ensued that went on and on for the next one hour until the latter decided to walk out. During the cacophony, Seemal Kamran of the Q-League threw the day's agenda at Speakers dice and Khalid Baloch of the N-League threw a copy, which he was holding, back that hit Ms Kamran and it was free for all. Qamar Hayat Kathia physically charged towards Baloch "to teach him a lesson", and was stopped by Rana Mashhood Ahmad Khan, Deputy Speaker, who was trying to calm both sides since morning. It also led to a bout of pelting each other with all kinds of available objects, including even those which, according to Rana Sanaullah, were of "purely women's use." The pandemonium consumed entire time reserved for the Question Hour, privilege motions and adjournment motions. Calm only returned to the House when after almost one-and-a-half hours, the former labour minister, Ashraf Sohna, of the PPP took the floor and asked the Speaker to "seek apology from Sheikh Allaudin or expel him for the rest of session," threatening a boycott of the session by the Opposition, otherwise. After that he, along with all the Opposition members, walked out of the House. The speaker formed a four-member committee to get the Opposition back to the House, but in vain. Rana Sanaullah, however, was of the view that since both sides had committed excesses, both should be punished. "The speaker can form a committee to apportion the blame and punish the guilty. But, it was certain that people from both sides were to be blamed," he conceded.