The Speaker of the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Assembly, Babar Saleem Swati, has sent a strongly worded letter to the Speaker of the Punjab Assembly, Malik Ahmed Khan, expressing deep concern over the “unbecoming” behavior displayed during a recent visit to the Punjab Assembly.
The letter, which was jointly signed by Defense Minister Khawaja Muhammad Asif and Chief Minister of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Saeed Afridi, condemned the actions of the Punjab Assembly and called for an apology. The letter stated that the delegation led by the Chief Minister of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa was subjected to unwarranted and unnecessary hurdles, which is against parliamentary norms.
Speaker Swati expressed his dismay over the behavior of the Punjab Assembly, stating that the Chief Minister of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and his delegation were subjected to repeated security checks, aggressive questioning, and physical obstruction, which is unacceptable in any democratic and civilized system.
Chief Minister Saeed Afridi was quoted as saying that the Punjab government is “morally and intellectually bankrupt” and has a “non-democratic” behavior. The letter also expressed concern over the fact that some members of the delegation were harassed by security personnel and were subjected to inappropriate behavior, which has damaged the dignity of the parliament.
Speaker Swati also expressed regret over the fact that some individuals attempted to create a tense atmosphere by posing as journalists, which has compromised the seriousness of the official visit. He emphasized that provincial assemblies are constitutional institutions and that their interactions should be guided by mutual respect, tolerance, and parliamentary etiquette.
The letter demanded a comprehensive and transparent investigation into the incident, identifying those responsible and issuing clear guidelines to prevent such incidents in the future. It warned that ignoring such incidents could have detrimental effects on inter-provincial harmony and federal cooperation.
In related news, a video clip of an Afghan citizen making anti-Pakistan remarks went viral yesterday. In response, the police have formed eight special squads to prevent hooliganism, vandalism, and harassment in Islamabad.
Meanwhile, the Sindh government has announced the launch of double-decker buses in the province. However, Chief Minister Sindh Syed Murad Ali Shah and Law Minister Sindh, Ayaz Latif Palijo, expressed their concerns over the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) government’s policies, stating that they do not trust the PTI, which has a history of sabotaging negotiations.
