Opposition raps Punjab government over Lahore tragedy: Abid-Dasti clash mars NA proceedings

The National Assembly on Thursday turned into a fish market after independent MNA Jamshed Dasti and State Minister for Water and Power Abid Sher Ali traded allegations and clashed over Lahore incident. Opposition lawmakers came down hard on Punjab government over Lahore incident, declaring it a blunder by the government which might harm democracy in the country.
The pandemonium started when Sajid Ahmed of Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) while discussing demands for grants of Interior Ministry accused Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) of harbouring terrorists such as Gullu Butt. This prompted State Minister for Water and Power Abid Sheir Ali to stand up with anger and asked the opposition member to concentrate on budget debate instead of discussing politics.
Abid's demeanor angered opposition MPs, who shouted at him telling him that 'this is not the way to talk in a Parliament.' As expected Jamshed Dasti rolled up his sleeves against Abid Sher Ali that led to exchange of harsh words between the two. The minister lost his temper and broke every norms of decency in front of his senior colleagues including females by using derogatory and abusive language against Dasti, which prompted the man from Muzafarghar to roll up his sleeves and dared Abid to come out near speaker rostrum if he had the guts to face him in a duel. Abid made failed attempts to proceed toward the rostrum but his colleagues restrained him and calmed down him while opposition MPs pacified Dasti.
Earlier, while debating Lahore incident, opposition lawmakers harshly criticised the government's handling of the issue. Opposition Leader Syed Khursheed Ahmed Shah in his scathing speech said that the government was committing blunders which might harm democracy. He said that fighting and violence aggravated problem rather than solving them.
He said the government should have adopted political means to handle the situation in Lahore to avoid loss of precious lives. Shah Mehmood Qureshi of PTI said that the government should try to resolve the issue and calm down. He demanded of the government to withdraw the FIR registered against 3000 workers of Pakistan Awami Tehreek after the incident.
Chief of Pakhtunkhwa Milli Awami Party (PkMAP) Mahmood Khan Achakzai condemned the incident, saying that the people involved in the incident must be brought to book. He demanded a judicial inquiry into the indecent through a Supreme Court judge. Minister for Defence Production Rana Tanvir Hussain said that the findings of the Judicial Inquiry would be shared with the National Assembly and people involved in it would be given exemplary punishment.