Pak defence minister triggers row, calls woman legislator tractor trolley'
The opposition attacked Khawaja Asif for insulting' women and said he must be beaten with shoe.
Islamabad: Pakistan’s National Assembly witnessed uproar on Wednesday as a key minister called Pakistan Tehrik-e-Insaf (PTI) legislator Shireen Mazari a “tractor trolley”.
The obnoxious remarks were condemned by the Opposition members, forcing Speaker Ayaz Sadiq to expunge those words from the Assembly proceedings.
Minister for defence, water and power Khawaja Asif called Shireen Mazari a “tractor trolley”. Ms Mazari raised some other legislators and protested against load-shedding during Ramzan when Mr Khawaja Asif was addressing the House on electricity situation.
“Mr Speaker, ask this tractor trolley to be quiet,” the minister remarked. He added: “Make her voice more feminine.”
Ms Mazari stood on her desk terming Mr Khawaja Asif’s remarks as an insult to women. “This attitude is wrong. He is insulting women,” she said.
Responding to Mr Khawaja Asif’s offensive remarks, PTI spokesman Naeem-ul Haq said: “Khawaja Asif should be hung upside down for his vulgarity and misbehaviour, and should be beaten with a shoe 25 times in the morning and 25 times in the evening.”
This is not the first time that a Pakistan Muslim League (Nawaz) legislator has used such un-parliamentary language in the House. Last year, PML(N) leader Talal Chaudhry had referred to Shireen Mazari as “aunty”. Speaker Sardar Ayaz Sadiq quickly took notice of Mr Chaudhry‘s remarks, asking for the word to be expunged from official records. In protest, the Opposition staged a walkout from the Lower House of the Parliament.