May 8, 2003	Thursday	Rabi-ul-Awwal 5, 1424

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MUZAFFARABAD, May 7: Proceedings of the AJK Legislative Assembly were marred for some time on the second consecutive day on Wednesday by the bedlam triggered by exchange of unpleasant remarks and allegations by the treasury and opposition benches.

At one point, the disorder was about to take a violent turn when some legislators from both sides headed towards each other for a scuffle. However, the looming untoward situation was evaded with the interference of their colleagues.

It all began during the question hour when Zakat and Ushar Minister Hafiz Hamid Raza was responding to a question by ruling party’s Nahid Tariq about the salary and privileges of the Zakat Council chairman.

The chairman, said the minister, was drawing Rs 35,000 as honorarium, Rs20,000 as house rent, Rs12,000 for telephone bills while a vehicle worth Rs1.5 million had also been purchased for him through central purchase committee.

Ms Tariq said it was strange that the expenditures on the infrastructure of Zakat were on the rise whereas the amount collected from the banks through deduction of Zakat was gradually decreasing.

Responding to her supplementary question, the minister stated that the dowry funds were being provided to the deserving people on the recommendation of the concerned MLA.

Opposition’s Chaudhry Abdul Majid disputed the minister’s claim, saying that the government had not given the fund to anyone on the opposition’s recommendations.

Upon this, the treasury benches recalled that they were meted out similar treatment by the People’s Party government, when they were in the opposition.

However, opposition’s Sahibzada Ishaq Zafar contradicted them saying the PP AJK government’s opposition had made good use of opportunities and favourable conditions.

He said deputy speaker Sanaullah Qadri was also among the beneficiaries. Mr Qadri, who is known for speaking aloud, rose to his seat and said he had received a Rs100,000 cheque from the then prime minister, but had returned it forthwith.

He passed some non-parliamentary remarks, which kicked up rumpus in the house as a number of legislators from both sides started speaking simultaneously.

The remarks were, however, expunged from the proceedings by speaker Sardar Siab Khalid.

Opposition MLAs repeated Tuesday’s scene and stood at their seats shouting anti-government slogans.

However, on the intervention of some ministers they again took their seats following which order was restored in the house.

Later, in a speech Chaudhry Majid said the opposition wanted to protect the system but the treasury itself was bent upon impairing it.

The ministers were helpless and indulged in bickering with the opposition without any reason, he said, adding the speaker should suspend the membership of such legislators.

Mr Zafar said some ministers were involved in corruption and he would produce record in the house at an appropriate time. The government, he said, should show tolerance and if the deterioration continued a new prime minister could come.

Opposition’s Sardar Mohammad Hussain, Deevan Ghulam Mohiuddin and Sardar Ghulam Sadiq and ruling party’s Tahir Anwar also spoke.