ISLAMABAD - The National Assembly on Thursday adopted a resolution condemning Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf chief Imran Khan and Awami Muslim League chief Sheikh Rasheed’s disparaging remarks about the parliament they made at a rally in Lahore on Wednesday.

“This House strongly condemns the use of words of ‘La’nat’ (curse) and ‘La’nati’ (the cursed) by Imran Khan and Sheikh Rasheed about parliament [and the parliamentarians] at a public meeting in Lahore,” read the resolution moved by Minister of State Balighur Rahman.

The resolution said: “Both the lawmakers (Khan and Rasheed) have intentionally made attempt to tarnish the respect and dignity of the House (National Assembly).

The resolution, in the absence of the PTI lawmakers, was signed by members of the Pakistan People’s Party, the Muttahida Qaumi Movement, Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz and the Pashtunkhwa Milli Awami Party.

“The National Assembly is a representative institution of over 200 million people and by using this word they humiliated the people of the country, which is highly condemnable,” said the resolution.

“This is a firm belief of the parliamentarians that the dignity, progress and strength of Pakistan are linked with the parliament in according to the vision of the Quaid-e-Azam and in a true spirit of the Constitution,” it further read.

The resolution said “there was no room for any other system in the country in presence of the parliament, as it represents the people of Pakistan”.

Earlier, government and opposition lawmakers strongly criticised both the leaders for using derogatory remarks against the parliament and asked the chair to form a privilege committee to look into the matter.

The lawmakers from almost across the floor strongly criticised the PTI chief for using disparaging words against the parliament and parliamentarians time and again.

Only four PTI members were present in the House at that time and they seemed to respond to the speeches of the lawmakers but were not given the floor by the Chair.

They (Amjad Khan Niazi, Ghulam Sarwar, Shehryar Afridi and Sajid Nawaz) remained engaged in exchanging hot words with PPP and PML-N lawmakers.

Later, PTI MNA Amjad Khan Niazi, after he did not get the floor, passed derogatory remarks against all the lawmakers sitting in the House and announced to tender resignation.

Foreign Minister Khawaja Muhammad Asif, initiating the verbal attack on the PTI chief, said that there was a need to move a ‘privilege motion’ against Khan for using objectionable remarks against the parliament.

“They (Imran and Rasheed) should be summoned in the committee and if they do not turn up, they should be arrested,” he said.

He said that the opposition has the right to criticise the government and its performance but nobody should abuse the parliament.

“Protection of constitutional institutions is essential and we will not allow anybody use such words,” he said, mentioning that the use of such language reflected their low esteem. Both (Imran and Rasheed) have no morality, he said.

The PTI members had earlier resigned from the parliament but returned to it crawling. “I can say with guarantee that Shah Mehmood Qureshi had requested the National Assembly speaker that the resignations of PTI parliamentarians not be accepted,” he said.

Opposition Leader in the National Assembly Syed Khurshid Shah said, “Such words were used for the parliament as he could not repeat. Dust should fall in the mouths of those who use such words (for parliament). These words were painful for the 200 million people of the country.”

“I will always say Pakistan Zindabad, Democracy Zindabad, Quaid-e-Azam Zindabad, Parliament Zindabad, Bhutto Zindabad,” he said, mentioning that the PPP had not insulted the institutions even when cases were framed against the PPP leadership.

“Today, judges of the Supreme Court must be feeling bad about what was done with the PPP (in the past) which is a patriotic political party and wants prosperity and progress of the country,” he said.

Nawaz Sharif insults the institutions and so does Imran, he said claiming that no member of the PPP has ever bashed any institution like this.

“Do you want to invite a dictator after locking the parliament and then you will (have to) bow before him,” he said without taking anyone’s name.

PPP’s Aijaz Jhakrani said both the leaders have no right to curse the parliament. “Such parliamentarians help weaken the image of parliament,” he said, demanding that a privilege motion should be moved against them.

Muttahida Qaumi Movement’s Sheikh Salahuddin also condemned the remarks used by Khan and Rasheed against the parliament. “We fully support the privilege motion against Imran Khan and Sheikh Rasheed,” he said.

Awami National Party’s Ghulam Ahmed Bilour also condemned the use of derogatory words against the parliament.

Shahida Akhtar from JUI-F said that there was a need for a joint resolution and strict action against both the leaders.

“I and my party strongly condemn their words,” she said. Other members also strongly criticised both the leaders for their disparaging remarks against the august house.