ISLAMABAD, March 12: A scuffle broke out between Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) MNA Hamidul Haq and the prime minister’s son, Abdullah Abbasi, in the Upper House on Monday evening, moments before the announcement declaring Senator Sadiq Sanjrani as the newly-elected Senate chairman was to be made, Dawn NewsTV reported.
In a tense contest between PML-N backed Senator Raja Zafarul Haq and opposition-backed Sanjrani – an independent candidate from Balochistan – the latter came out comfortable on top with 57 votes, four more than the required count and 11 more than his rival.
As soon as Sanjrani was announced the new Senate Chairman, Haq had started chanting slogans in PTI’s favour which angered Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi’s son.
A heated verbal argument ensued between the two, which quickly escalated into a brawl.
The two were eventually separated by lawmakers and Senate staff present in the gallery.
Subsequently, Haq was taken outside the house by PML-N leader Chaudhry Jafer Iqbal, while security guards took Abdullah outside the House. Later, while talking to media persons outside the Senate, Haq said the sloganeering had started before the formal announcement of the successful candidate. – Agencies
