ISLAMABAD: A scuffle broke out between Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf lawmaker Hamidul Haq and Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi’s son in the visitors’ gallery of the Senate on Monday evening during election for the chairman of the Upper House.
The scuffle between the two started when newly appointed Senate Chairman Sadiq Sanjrani was being congratulated after his victory. The premier’s son, Abdullah Abbasi, was sitting on the left of Haq. The PTI lawmaker got up from his seat as the presiding officer read out the results to shout slogans in favour of the opposition.
As Haq was shouting slogans, he fell on Abdullah as another individual tried to seat him by pulling on his arm. After Haq fell, he was grabbed from behind and his neck was held by a friend of the premier son.
“When I started sloganeering in PTI’s favour, an outsider came and grabbed my neck from behind,” claimed PTI’s lawmaker. He questioned regarding the presence of outsiders in the House and added that the grip on his throat was very strong.
Minister of State for Information and Broadcasting Marriyum Aurangzeb said that the prime minister’s son was present in the Senate with his family and friends to witness the election of the chairman. She said that Abdullah was not involved in the scuffle, adding that Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi has expressed concern at the incident. She said that an apology has been furnished.
The situation was controlled after security staff and others intervened.
Published in Daily Times, March 13th 2018.
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