By Shabbir Mir in The Express Tribune, Apr 27
GILGIT: Following a brawl over the absence of the chief minister (CM) at the Gilgit-Baltistan Assembly session for the third consecutive day, the speaker postponed the proceedings for an indefinite period.
PPP member Raziuddin Rizvi criticised the local head of his party CM Mehdi Shah, whereas Ali spoke in defence of the chief minister. Ali had recently been inducted into the cabinet after a deal struck by President Asif Ali Zardari and Allama Sajid Naqvi over seat adjustment in the general elections.
“The CM is making a mockery of the house by remaining absent,” said Rizvi, asking the speaker, Wazir Baig, to take legal action against him. “You should have him disqualified,” Rizvi added.
Ali, who is yet to be given a ministry, objected to Rizvi’s remarks. “You are not Shah’s spokesperson, please sit down. It is our internal party issue and you are not supposed to defend him,” replied Rizvi, reminding Ali that he was not a party worker.
While Baig’s repeated attempts to ease tensions failed, his warning to get the two arrested for defiance of the house also failed to calm things down.
Raziuddin sat down but Ali remained defiant, compelling Baig to adjourn the session.
CM denies accusations : Rizvi alleged that Shah had boycotted the session because it was called without his consent, but the CM has denied the allegations.
CM Shah dispelled the impression that his absence in the assembly session was because of differences with the speaker.
“We are not on a boycott, nor do we have any differences with the speaker,” Shah said while addressing an oath-taking ceremony of newly-elected office bearers of the Gilgit Press Club. “If we had, there would not be more than three members in the house,” he added.
Shah also rejected allegations of corruption against him, saying he had written a letter to the chairman of the Gilgit-Baltistan’s supreme appellate court to conduct an inquiry into the accusations. http://tribune.com.pk/story/540984/no-show-assembly-session-indefinitely-postponed-over-cms-absence/
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