SIALKOT, Sept 25: Political differences have cropped up between National Assembly Speaker Chaudhry Ameer Hussain and Federal Parliamentary Secretary for Cabinet Division Dr Firdous Ashiq Awan as both of them are criticising each other in public meetings they are holding in Bajwat, Head Marala, Uggoki and Sialkot these days.

The main reason that has brought about differences between them is said to be on-going uplift projects in Bajwat area. Both politicians are making all possible efforts to get the credit of these public welfare projects. They blame each other for creating hurdles in the way of completing the development schemes.

Local political circles are of the view that Bajwat is an electoral constituency of the NA speaker and Dr Firdous is interfering in his constituency as she belongs to Koobey Chak, Bajwat.

They say she was elected as MNA on special reserved seats for women from Lahore. Both the leaders belong to the ruling PML.

Dr Firdous says although she is not elected from Bajwat constituency, she has every right to initiate development and welfare-oriented projects in areas she belongs to.

Discussing her differences in the open, she alleged that the NA speaker had started using the state machinery to harass her family members.

Dr Firdous further alleged that the Sialkot police, at the beck and call of the NA speaker, had started interfering in her personal matters as well.

The present government, she said, was claiming to provide full respect and protection to women in the country, but the speaker was harassing a woman who was a member of the august house.

She said that she would raise the matter during her meetings with President Pervez Musharraf and Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz. The issue would also be taken up during the forthcoming session of parliament, she said.

Denying all allegations leveled against him, the NA speaker said that in fact Dr Awan was interfering in his electoral constituency, which was a sheer injustice.