The 'replacement' of Quaid-e-Azam's portrait with the picture of late Maulana Mufti Mehmood at the opposition leader Maulana Fazlur Rehman's chamber sparked controversy in the Senate on Monday, leading to noisy scenes and hurling of allegations from the treasury and the opposition.
The mayhem impeded House business for about half an hour, as the Senate resumed with 55 minutes delay after the two-day recess with Deputy Chairman Jan M Jamali in the chair. It was the private members day and understandably bulk of the agenda pertained to the opposition.
The treasury and opposition senators called for an inquiry into the issue, as some journalists whispered, confirming the report was correct and they themselves had seen the late Mufti's picture.
It was interesting to note that JUI senators besides the opposition leader, were in the lead in castigating the treasury for the 'lie'. Senator Khalid Soomro's revelation that he himself went and saw the Quaid's portrait in the chamber could not cool down the raging tempers. "After the agitation, they have again displayed the portrait of Quaid-e-Azam," alleged the parliamentary affairs minister, supported by some other senators.
Maulana Fazl, by that time arrived at his chamber but he neither confirmed nor denied the report, insisting that journalists could see the portrait of the Father of the Nation is still there.
"The Quaid's respect and honour has a constitutional cover. He always talked about democracy and the Parliament, whereas, these people are supportive of a martial law while we are waging a struggle for true democracy's revival and realise his ideals," he said.
He pointed out that the pictures of all the previous opposition leaders, excluding late Wali Khan were displayed at his chamber's gallery including that of his father.
Order returned to the Senate only after the opposition senators, led by Maulana Fazl's Jamiat-e-Ulemai Islam senators, walked out of the House, agitating over the 'blatant' lie by the ruling party senators.
Jamaat-i-Islami and other opposition senators of the Muttahida Majlis-i-Amal as well as the nationalist senators showed hardly any interest in the issue.
Jamali apparently was helpless in to restoring order and bring down tempers. But it looked no one was ready to listen to him.
Usually, whenever the opposition criticises the President General Musharraf, the lady senators of the ruling Pakistan Muslim League, waste no time to defend him at the top of their voice but today was different and they did speak but with controlled tempers and at a lower pitch.
One senator called for suspension of membership of Maulana Fazl for this highly offensive act, as the Opposition Leader Mian Raza Rabbani contended that since the issue was related to the National Assembly, therefore, it should be taken up there.
Supporting his proposal, the chair tried to skip the matter, saying it could be looked into Tuesday, inviting from Senator Agha, who charged, "your ruling has caused extreme concerns, you will have to allow a debate, otherwise, this House will not proceed".
Amid chants of 'shame, shame' by the treasury senators, State Minister for Parliamentary Affairs Kamil Ali Agha threatened not to let the House continue business if the adjournment motion mover Amjad Abbas and other movers were not allowed to speak on the matter.
Senator Abbas showed a copy of the news report that referred to the removal of the Quaid's portrait and displaying of the late father of Maulana Fazl's picture.
At one stage, Kamil Agha questioned the reason by the chair asking some treasury senators to bring the opposition senators back, who did not return till the House was adjourned after the call for Maghrib prayers.
Later, Senators Naeem Hussain Chattha, Pair Gul Agha, Gulshan Saeed and Seemi Siddiqui flayed the opposition for 'politicising' the issue by siding with MMA senators.
Pakistan Peoples' Party Parliamentarian Senator Babar Awan returned to point out the lack of quorum, which was initially ignored by the chair, Amjad Abbas, who later, ordered ringing of the bells, which is done after the count is completed and minimum 25 members are not found in the House. The House will now resume business on Tuesday at 10: 00am and is most likely to be prorogued sine die.
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