'Pashtoon-specific actions': Punjab government comes under fire in National Assembly

The Punjab Government and Pakistan Muslim League-N on Thursday again came under serious attack in the National Assembly, which created rumpus in the house when some young and enthusiastic Pushtoon and Punjabi parliamentarians levelled charges against each other.
The disturbance started soon after the question hour when some of ANP members led by Syed Haider Ali Shah from Hungu raised an issue referring to a news item carried by an Urdu daily that Punjab Administration was exclusively targeting Pushtoons speaking people in the largest province in the name of security and asking them to leave the province.
Chaudhry Abid Sher Ali, a vocal PML-N MNA, who has track record of creating controversies and rumpus in the House due to his emotional attitude, pointed his finger at the lawmakers on the other side, saying that PPP is hatching conspiracy to break the country and pitching provinces against each other. The remarks further fuelled the fire and PPP young parliamentarians also stood up at their seats and started chanting slogans.
Syed Haider Ali Shah said that the move of the Punjab government is a yet another anti-Pushtoon step of Punjab and the Pushtoo speaking people are being terrorised and targeted in the biggest province in the name of security. He warned that the Pushtoon parliamentarians would resign from their seats if the speaker did not give ruling on this issue. A throat-bursting slogan also came from Abid Sher Ali and some other PML-N members who sought mike to respond it. But avoiding the commotion speaker gave him the floor.
In the meantime, senior members from both sides of the aisle rushed to their young members and tried to motivate them to end the controversy but the situation got out of control and PPP Chief whip Syed Khursheed Shah asked the chair to adjourn the House for a while. The speaker promptly adjourned the House for 20 minutes.
After the break, the situation again turned into turmoil as the charged members wanted to respond each others remarks. But presiding officer Abdul Qadeer Patel did not give them the mike. Abid Sher Ali and some of the ANP and PPP members again started trading harsh words against each other as the PML-N lawmaker continuously alleged them of hatching conspiracy to break the country and giving hype to new controversies to create rift among the provinces. Once again the senior parliamentarians came forward and forced them to take their seats.
Then the presiding officer gave floor to PML-N chief whip Aftab Sheikh to speak. He cooled down the situation, saying that it was just a news item as neither any responsible political leader nor a senior bureaucrat has issued such directives against the Pushtoons in Punjab. He said that one should not believe in the news reports and should thoroughly investigate before reacting to any issue. He added that a number of IDPs from NWFP are living in Punjab, but no one has been arrested merely for being Pushtoon. He said that his party believes in the federation, which consists of four provinces.
He added that he was ready to arrange a meeting of Pushtoon lawmakers with PML-N leadership to end the misunderstanding. He said the emotional Pushtoon member's remarks against Punjab should better be taken back.
Interior Minister Rehman Malik said that no instructions have been issued to round up Pushtoon in Punjab or any other province in the name of security. He further said that he would get report from Punjab administration and submit to the House on Friday (today).
ANP leader Pervaiz Khan Advocate said that Pakistan consists of four federating units and each province has its own role and importance. He added that Pushtoon always gave sacrifices for the country and each time they were labelled as traitor.
Referring to the PML-N leadership, he said, in the past an elected Prime Minister acknowledged the Taliban government in Afghanistan and now another leader pleaded Taliban not to attack his province. He questioned that whether the blood of the people of other province is cheaper than Punjab?. "What is the fault of Pushtoon as they were banned to go to Karachi and now they were being terrorised in other provinces", he maintained.
Rasheed Akber Khan Nawani of PML-N said that press should play responsible role as the country is passing through crucial stage amid terrorism and extremism.
State Minister for Information and Broadcasting Syed Samam Ali Bokhari referring to a statement of Punjab Law Minister Rana Sannaullah regarding the Eid Millad-un-Nabi incident in Faisalabad sought forming a House committee to set the status of the statement of the Provincial Law Minister.
Sahibzada Fazal Karim of PMl-N said that action should be taken against those who have links with Taliban and the ban religious outfits. He said that the statement of Rana Sannaullah is his personal viewpoint and nothing to do with Punjab government.