PESHAWAR: Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam-Fazl member from South Waziristan tribal district Hafiz Isamuddin was expelled from the sitting of the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Assembly on Monday on the order of Speaker Mushtaq Ahmad Ghani for threatening on last Tuesday to bomb the assembly’s building.

“In exercise of powers conferred upon me under sub-rule (2) of Rule 227 of the Provincial Assembly of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Procedure and Conduct of Business Rules, 1988, I do hereby order to withdraw Mr Isamuddin, MPA forthwith from the House on account of his misconduct — threatened the MPAs, this August House and precinct of the assembly,” read the speaker’s order after the assembly passed a resolution against the lawmaker.

The order further read, “The words he (Isamuddin) uttered on a point of order were disgusting, threatening and breach of privilege of all members of the assembly, this August House and so forth the people of the province.”

The speaker directed the security staff to expel Hafiz Isamuddin from the house for a single day.

The chair later adjourned the sitting for 15 minutes.

The MPA from PK-113 while speaking on a point of order on Aug 25 had criticised the role of the security forces for not clearing landmines from an area in his constituency and warned that he would bomb the assembly by putting explosives in his waistcoat if his grievances were not addressed.

Opposition except ANP protests ‘one-sided’ ruling of speaker against Hafiz Isamuddin

The lawmaker had complained that the security forces were not clearing landmines from Badder area of South Waziristan and that several people, including women and children, had lost life in landmine explosions.

The chair’s ruling sparked commotion with the opposition members except Awami National Party’s protesting against what they described one-sided ruling.

ANP parliamentary leader Sardar Hussain Babak not only slammed the JUI-F MPA for his remarks but also supported the resolution moved by the government.

The ANP’s support for the resolution created division among the joint opposition. He said his party had never supported terrorism and extremism in any form.

Surprisingly Speaker Mushtaq Ghani had directed on Tuesday last to expunge remarks of MPA Hafiz Isamuddin from records.

The issue resurfaced on the floor of the house when labour minister Shaukat Ali Yousafzai on a point of order said an elected member had threatened to carry out suicide attack inside the assembly.

He said political parties should not allot ticket to the people, who threatened to blow up the assembly, and that such behaviour was unacceptable.

The minister asked the chair to direct the security staff to subject all lawmakers to body search on entrance.

Muttahidda Majlis-i-Amal member Maulana Lutfur Rehman said his party didn’t endorse the remarks of Hafiz Isamuddin.

He said he apologised on behalf of the lawmaker, who might have become emotional due to situation in his area.

The lawmaker said Hafiz Isamuddin would also tender an apology for remarks.

He said Hafiz Isam’s father, Maulana Merajuddin, who was elected an MNA from South Waziristan region, was gunned down in May 2010 over his stand against militancy.

Mr Rehman said the JUI-F leaders and workers had lost life to militancy.

Special assistant to the chief minister Kamran Bangash said the lawmaker should control his emotions in future.

He said such irresponsible statements supported the narrative of militants.

Later, the adviser to the chief minister on science and technology asked the speaker to allow him to move a resolution against that MPA.

The resolution moved without relaxing the relevant rule of business was passed by the house with a majority vote.

The PTI and ANP supported the resolution, which demanded of the JUI-F to act against its such elements and of the speaker to expel the MPA from the session for a day.

Pakistan Peoples Party MPAs condemned the JUI-F MPA over his statement but said the chair gave the ruling against him in haste.

They said the speaker should have given the floor of the house to the MPA to clarify position.

MPA Mir Kalam Khan from North Waziristan, who survived an assassination attempt near Mirali area on Sunday, came down heavily on the government and security forces.

In a hard-hitting speech, he said spike in targeted killings and acts of terrorism in tribal districts was a failure of security forces and intelligence agencies.

The lawmaker said 200 people, including elders and government officials, had become a victim of targeted killing in North Waziristan since Feb 2018, but security forces and intelligence agencies didn’t apprehend a single culprit.

He said target killers easily escaped after attacks in the area despite the deployment of 35,000 army troops and paramilitary forces and presence of a corps of intelligence operatives.

Mr Mir Kalam said the frequent targeted killings questioned the performance of intelligence agencies.

“I request the state institutions to understand the situation and address grievances of the people of Waziristan,” said Mr Kalam, who has affiliation with Pakhtun Tahafuz Movement.

Referring to the speaker’s ruling against MPA Hafiz Isam, he said the lawmaker was expelled from the house for issuing only a statement, while the PTI had attacked Parliament House and PTV headquarters in Sept 2014 but got off scot-free.

He wondered if anybody expelled PTI parliamentarians for those attacks.

The house completed a debate on power crisis in the province.

In his concluding speech, minister Shaukat Yousafzai said electricity-related issued would be resolved and the government would make no compromise on the rights of the province. He said the Pesco should address its shortcomings.

Published in Dawn, September 1st, 2020