KARACHI - Pakistan People’s Party Sindh President Nisar Ahmed Khuhro yesterday issued a show-cause notice to Works and Services Minister Imdad Ahmed Pitafi over using indecent language against Pakistan Muslim League-Functional lawmaker Nusrat Sehar Abbasi during a debate in the provincial assembly.
The show-cause notice was issued after PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari took serious notice of media reports about remarks of the minister about a woman MPA of the Opposition in the Sindh Assembly.
The PPP chairman directed Sindh PPP president and parliamentary leader in the house, Nisar Ahmed Khuhro, to issue a show-cause notice to the minister.
Acting on the direction, Nisar Khuhro issued a show-cause notice to the minister, asking him to explain as to why action should not be taken against him over the use of such an indecent language against a woman lawmaker.
Bakhtawar Bhutto Zardari, the sister of PPP Chairman Bilwal Bhutto Zardari, also asked Imdad Pitafi to apologise to Nusrat Sehar Abbasi for using inappropriate words against her.
On the other hand, Pitafi said he had already admitted his mistake and sought pardon on the issue. He further said he would also say sorry on the floor of the house. The minister stated he would respond to the notice, when received, and accept any decision taken by the party leadership in this regard.
The woman lawmaker demanded the PPP leadership remove Pitafi from the ministry as well as from the provincial assembly membership. She said those dishonouring women from the platform of a party once led by a woman should be sacked. Speaking to a private television channel, Nusrat Sehar Abbasi said Patafi should be thrown out of the party.
Meanwhile, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf Chairman Imran Khan, reacting to a verbal quarrel between a woman member of Pakistan Muslim League-Functional, Nusrat Sehr Abbasi, and PPP Minister Imdad Pitafi, said such obscene remarks by male legislators against female members reflected ethical and moral decay of the society in Pakistan. He tweeted such remarks were against Islam’s basic teachings and global ethical norms.
On Friday, a disturbing and highly derogatory exchange of words happened on the floor of the Sindh Assembly when Nusrat Sehr Abbasi put a question to Imdad Pitafi, but she received a bizarre invitation to his chamber.
Another PPP lawmaker, Nawab Muhammad Taimur Talpur, educated in the UK, soon started taunting Nusrat Sehr Abbasi while the rest of the members watched the episode as silent spectators and at times bursting into laughter.
To everyone’s surprise, Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah was also present in the house when this was happening with nonchalant expressions on his face.