PTI member Nek Wazir clashes with Iqbal Wazir of PTI Parliamentarians, both of whom hail from Waziristan
Shamim Shahid
PESHAWAR: A brawl broke out between government and opposition members in the Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa Assembly, with lawmakers exchanging punches and kicks following a heated dispute on Tuesday.
The scuffle erupted after opposition members grew frustrated over the speaker’s refusal to give them the floor.
The altercation escalated when PTI member Nek Wazir clashed with Iqbal Wazir of the PTI Parliamentarians, both of whom hail from Waziristan. Supporters of the two lawmakers also joined the fight, intensifying the chaos in the assembly.
The uproar forced the speaker to call a 15-minute recess, but the session was ultimately adjourned until 3pm on Monday, October 14, due to the continued disorder.
During the earlier session, Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur delivered a fiery speech, criticising the recent actions of opposition parties and defending the government’s position.
The chief minister condemned attack on K-P House in Islamabad as an attack the province’s honour and referred to the attack on Corps Commander’s House in Lahore on May 9, 2023 as “false flag operation”.
Opposition leader Ahmad Kundi of the PPP took a different stance, accusing the chief minister of making inconsistent statements and suggesting that the provincial leadership was not acting responsibly in maintaining law and order. “We have 5.5 million children out of school, and this issue needs our attention,” Kundi added, calling for more focus on governance and stability.
As tensions flared, three individuals, including MPA Iqbal Wazir’s nephew Mujeebullah and relative Naqeebullah, were handed over to the police. The speaker summoned both MPs involved in the altercation to his chamber to mediate and de-escalate the situation.
Despite efforts to restore order, the session could not resume, and the assembly was cleared, with the lights turned off and all participants asked to leave.
