Islamabad witnessed fiery scenes on Wednesday during a meeting of the National Assembly Standing Committee on Interior, as tensions flared between the ruling Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) and Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) lawmakers over the CDA Amendment Bill debate.
The controversy began after PPP MNA Shazia Marri raised a serious objection to the inaccessibility for differently-abled persons in Capital Development Authority (CDA) structures. Marri maintained that her suggested bill was her constitutional right and blamed the government for attempting to quash the effort.
“I will move a privilege motion,” Marri announced, not to be deterred. State Minister for Interior Talal Chaudhry retaliated, stating, “Bring the motion — I will face it.” The government’s retort enraged senior PPP leader Nabil Gabol, who attacked the government on its level of arrogance.
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“You got your majority on charity. Don’t forget, we’ve overthrown a government in the past, and we can do it again,” Gabol threatened, pouring more fire into the CDA Amendment Bill debate.
The debate boiled over when PPP legislators Shazia Marri, Agha Rafiullah, and Nabil Gabol dramatically walked out of the committee meeting, accusing the minister of acting disrespectfully and violating parliamentary ethics.
Later, speaking to the press, Gabol was not mincing words. “The narrow majority of the ruling party does not entitle them to offend their coalition partners. This swagger is not acceptable,” he said, pointing to widening fissures in the coalition.
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The committee, chaired by Raja Khurram Nawaz, also addressed another hot-button issue — the rising property transfer fees in Islamabad. Nawaz acknowledged the widespread public anger over the steep hikes, noting that citizens were reaching out to lawmakers in frustration.
Federal Minister for Parliamentary Affairs Dr. Tariq Fazal Chaudhry assured the committee that Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif had already formed a team to review the situation. He promised that any unjustified increases in CDA fees would be reversed to protect citizens’ interests.
While the government tries to douse public indignation over the increase in fees, the debate on the CDA Amendment Bill has apparently revealed the festering tensions among coalition partners. These confrontations could further test the thin political alliance unless resolved.
