Unable to bear Pakistan PM's criticism, official bans words

Islamabad: As Prime Minister Imran Khan is on the verge of completion of one year in government, the “selected prime minister” criticism of the opposition and activists has infuriated the deputy speaker of the National Assembly, reported the New York Times.

The phrase is used to indicate that Khan’s victory has been engineered by the military.

Qasim Khan Suri, the deputy speaker of the National Assembly, has declared that “selected prime minister” is an insult to Khan. He banned the phrase during the session on Sunday.

“This is a house of elected representatives!” the NYT quoted Suri. “No one will use this expression from now on!”

The lawmakers in Pakistan found a different way. Marriyum Aurangzeb, an opposition lawmaker, addressed the prime minister as “hand-picked”.

Lawmakers have made the speaker’s order the focus of debate. Bilawal Bhutto Zardari, leader of Pakistan’s People’s Party, has asked whether the deputy speaker has the power to ban words in parliament. Zardari is credited to have been used the phrase to address Khan.

Zardari called the move censorship and said, “What kind of freedom is this that members of National Assembly cannot express themselves on the floor of the house?”

Hina Parvez Butt, a lawmaker, filed a resolution in the Punjab Provincial Assembly condemning the deputy speaker’s move.

Khan’s election campaign was focused on fighting corruption and criticising former PM Nawaz Sharif. Sharif was asked to demit the office by the Supreme Court over corruption charges.

The military, which remains popular in Pakistan, continues to reject the accusations of political interference. And the prime minister’s supporters insist that his party won elections on its own power.