Parliament Lodges ‘den of immoral activities’: Dasti

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ISLAMABAD: Independent MNA Jamshed Dasti, who always keeps himself in limelight through controversial statements, stirred yet another row on Thursday by alleging that a number of parliamentarians were involved in “immoral activities” at the Parliament Lodges, the official residential apartments for parliamentarians.

“Girls are brought in the lodges and Mujras (dance parties) are arranged,” he said while speaking on a point of order in the National Assembly, to the surprise of all those present in the hall and the galleries.

The Parliament Lodges, he said, had become a “den of immoral activities” as liquor worth Rs40 million to Rs50m was supplied there and the odour of liquor as well as charas was pervasive.

The MNA claimed that he had a video footage to prove his allegations. Terming it a serious matter, he asked the speaker to hold an inquiry into it. He also called for conducting medical tests of the parliamentarians.

When Mr Dasti raised the matter, the session was being presided over by Naeema Kishwar of the JUI-F in the absence of the speaker. She suggested that the MNA should have raised the issue at the speaker’s chamber.

Later Speaker Ayaz Sadiq returned to the house and said that he would like to see the evidence and assured that action would be taken against those found guilty irrespective of their party affiliations.

At the same time, the speaker indirectly warned Mr Dasti by saying that if the allegations were proved wrong, the whole house would decide the action to be taken against him.

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