Fawad Chaudhry barred from attending Senate session  

ISLAMABAD: In an unprecedented move, Senate Chairman Sadiq Sanjrani on Thursday imposed bar on Information Minister Fawad Chaudhry from attending Senate session over his failure to tender apology to the upper house of Parliament.  

According to the details, as the proceeding of Senate session began, the opposition reiterated their demand for Fawad Chaudhry to apologise.

Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) leader and leader of the opposition in the upper house, Raja Zafarul Haq said: “There has been a lot of bad blood in the house and it is affecting the house’s pride. We do not have any other solution to this than just walk out. Until an apology is tendered, the rest is all meaningless.”

“Until this person comes here and asks the entire parliament for an apology, the opposition will not (attend),” said Hasil Bizenjo.

Whereas leader of the house Shibli Faraz suggested that the record of Fawad Chaudhry and PML-N senator Mushahidullah Khan’s statements be analysed by a committee, and offered an apology on the behalf of Fawad Chaudhry.

Subsequently, the opposition staged a walkout, following which Chairman Sanjrani gave a ruling, directing Fawad Chaudhry to tender an apology.

PPP Senator Sherry Rehman told the Senate Chairman, “if the information minister thinks he can insult your (position) then we will not tolerate this and we will boycott the session”. “Ministers do not talk like this. They are even insulting your honour. We did not even see such ruckus in Ziaul Haq’s era. We will not let such behaviour become a norm”, she added.

Sherry Rehman threatened to run the parliament outside the upper house, if Fawad Chaudhry does not tender apology.

At this, the Senate chairman issued a ruling, “all members are bound to respect the chairman and leaders of the house and opposition.”

Sadiq Sanjrani ordered the information minister to come to the house and tender his apology, making it clear that failure to do so on the minister’s part will get him banned from attending the session.

It is pertinent to mention here that Fawad Chaudhry and PML-N Senator Mushahidullah Khan, on October traded barbs in the Senate over the remarks given by the former in the National Assembly against the latter who is also a close aide to former prime minister Nawaz Sharif.