Ministers differ on mention of Senate chairman's conduct in cabinet meeting

ISLAMABAD: State Minister for Parliamentary Affairs Ali Mohammad Khan Friday contradicted with Information Minister Fawad Chaudhry's claims regarding mention of Chairman Senate Sadiq Sanjrani's conduct in federal cabinet meeting held a day earlier.

On Thursday, the Senate chairman barred Chaudhry from attending proceedings of the upper house of the Parliament, after he failed to apologise as directed by the chairman for inciting uproar during the session.

The chairman had warned the minister that he would not be allowed to attend Senate proceedings if he fails to apologise for his remarks.

However, Chaudhry stuck to his guns on Thursday when questioned by reporters about the Senate row and his failure to apologise on the chairman's direction.

PM, Senate Chairman at odds over Chaudhry being barred

The info minister was barred from attending the Senate session after he failed to apologise as directed by the chairman

Prime Minister Imran Khan has said that nobody had the right to disrespect any minister, the information minister told reporters at a press conference he addressed after a meeting of the federal cabinet on Thursday.

"Should we apologise for asking where the billions of rupees of the poor people of Pakistan went? Should we apologise if we ask how the money of the people of Pakistan is spent?" Chaudhry had remarked.

Speaking on the floor of Senate, Khan said that no discussion was held on the conduct of Senate chairman in the cabinet meeting. He said the house will remain there at its place, but the one threatening it will not remain there.

The state minister, however, said if the Senate chairman wanted to run the upper house without the federal cabinet, then it was his choice.