NA Speaker Asad Qaiser and Shahid Khaqan Abbasi have heated exchange during NA session
Former prime minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi and National Assembly Speaker Asad Qaiser had a heated exchange of words during a session of the Lower House on Tuesday.
A session of the National Assembly to debate on a resolution calling for the protection of the sanctity of the Prophethood of the Holy Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) was held in Islamabad for a brief period and was adjourned till Friday with no major inroads made.
The private member resolution was presented in Parliament by PTI MNA Amjad Ali Khan.
A separate resolution was also presented. It called for the formation of a committee to debate on whether or not the French ambassador to Pakistan should be expelled. This resolution was declared as accepted by the speaker after a voice vote.
Footage from the session shows that shortly after the speaker's announcement, Abbasi approached his rostrum angrily.
It is not clear what sparked his anger.
"You are making it [...] controversial. Don't you have any shame?" shouted the former prime minister, as he approached the speaker's rostrum.
Qaiser asked Abbasi to "mind his language". "You always behave like this," he said to the PML-N leader.
At this, Abbasi said: "I will remove my shoe and hit you with it."
The speaker responded by saying: "I will do the same; do not cross your limits. Please return to your seat and speak there."
After the NA session was adjourned, Minister for Information Fawad Chaudhry condemned the language used by the PML-N stalwart during the NA session.
"Unfortunately, people like Shahid Khaqan Abbasi have held the position of prime minister of Pakistan," he added.