PM supports Fawad Chaudhry after Senate Chairman bars senate entry

Prime Minister Imran Khan came to the defense of Information Minister Fawad Chaudhry on Thursday after Chairman Senate Sadiq Sanjrani barred the federal minister from attending proceedings of the Upper House of Parliament.

Earlier, Senate Chairman Sadiq Sanjrani barred on Thursday Information Minister Fawad Chaudhry from attending the session as he failed to apologize for disrupting the house.

During the Senate session, the Opposition staged a walk-out after the information minister did not tender an apology for his remarks made on Wednesday’s session. The Opposition protested and demanded an apology from Chaudhry. In his ruling, the Senate chairman had directed the information minister to apologize for his remarks. After his failure to apologize, Sajnrani barred Chaudhry from the session, local media reported.

Speaking on the floor of the Senate on Wednesday, Chaudhry had accused Pushtunkhwa Milli Awami Party Chief Mehmood Achakzai of robbing the country and making anti-state statements. The chief had then retaliated and accused Chaudhry of supporting former president and military dictator, General (retd) Pervez Musharraf.

This is not the first time that the information minister has disrupted a session. In a previous National Assembly session, the minister called the members of the opposition ‘thieves and robbers’. The Opposition then staged a walk-out and only returned when Fawad agreed to apologize to the members.

Addressing a press conference in Islamabad on Thursday after federal cabinet meeting, he said that the government regrets Senate Chairman Sadiq Sanjani s behavior, adding that the cabinet also discussed the ruling of Chairman Senate and Prime Minister Imran Khan expressed dissatisfaction on the issue.

“Things won’t work out if the Senate chairman couldn’t bring balance in the House,” he added.

The minister said that no one was satisfied with the Senate ruling, adding that he never used unparliamentary language.