Opposition parties stage walkout in protest against attack on Rashid

ISLAMABAD: Demanding investigation into an assault on Awami Muslim League (AML) chief Sheikh Rashid outside the parliament house, the opposition parties on Friday staged a walkout amid Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi’s speech in National Assembly (NA) following the federal cabinet’s oath-taking ceremony.

The legislators of Jamaat-e-Islami (JI), Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan (MQM-P), and Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) walked out of NA in protest against the attack on Rashid.

On Tuesday, Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) lawmakers threatened Sheikh Rashid of dire consequences for speaking against Maryam Nawaz during his speech in the NA session after Shahid Khaqan Abbasi elected as Prime Minister after garnering 221 votes by the assembly.

The state TV censored Rashid’s speech while Abid Sher Ali besides many other PML-N lawmakers got up from their seats and started moving angrily towards the AML chief for speaking against Maryam Nawaz despite the speaker’s interruption and calling for calm down.

Talking to reporters outside the National Assembly building, Rashid said: “Nawaz Sharif should be held responsible if I am killed.”

He demanded authorities concerned to compile the list of people who attended National Assembly session without possessing the passes on Tuesday and attacked him outside the parliament building.

“PML-N pays thugs to enter the parliament and threaten people,” he added.

It should be recalled that Sheikh Rashid was attacked outside the parliament on the day Abbasi was elected as PM and later Sheikh Rashid exited from the House under police protection.

Rashid’s speech censored on Tuesday

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