Senate in Tension as Palwasha Khan Accuses Aleem Khan of Personal and Inappropriate Remarks
Senate Witnesses Heated Debate After PPP Senator Palwasha Khan Accuses Communications Minister Aleem Khan of Personal Attacks
The Senate on Tuesday saw a tense debate after Pakistan Peoples Party Parliamentarians (PPPP) Senator Palwasha Khan raised the issue of an alleged verbal confrontation with Federal Minister for Communications Aleem Khan, accusing him of using inappropriate language instead of responding to parliamentary questions.
Speaking during the Senate session chaired by Senator Sherry Rehman, Palwasha Khan said she had formally questioned a National Highway Authority (NHA) road project worth Rs2 billion, which she said was her constitutional right as a legislator. She alleged that during a committee meeting, the federal minister made personal remarks about her rather than addressing the substance of the question, comments that were later broadcast by the media.
Palwasha Khan strongly criticized what she described as a nexus of media owners, property dealers, and cabinet members, saying such alliances behave like a “rampaging elephant” that seeks to silence accountability. She said the use of abusive language against her for questioning public spending was unacceptable and damaging to democratic norms.
She called on Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif to take notice of the matter and urged the Chairman Senate to issue a clear ruling affirming that all members of the House are equal and that no individual is above parliamentary rules. “We are answerable to the people and draw our salaries from the government of Pakistan, not from private housing societies,” she said.
Presiding officer Senator Sherry Rehman termed the alleged conduct regrettable and emphasized that every senator has the right to raise questions without fear of personal attacks. She informed the House that she had contacted Aleem Khan and advised him to offer an apology. According to Rehman, the minister said he had already apologized, but she maintained that since the remarks were made publicly, a public apology in the Senate was necessary. She added that Aleem Khan had indicated he would apologize upon returning from Umrah.
Law Minister Azam Nazeer Tarar also expressed regret over the incident, stating that such an exchange should not have taken place and offering an apology for any hurt caused.
Senator Samina Mumtaz Zehri condemned the minister’s behavior as demeaning toward women lawmakers, saying female senators would not tolerate such treatment. She added that she too had raised questions to Aleem Khan but had not received satisfactory answers.
Concluding the discussion, Sherry Rehman described the situation as unfortunate and reiterated that parliamentary debate must remain respectful and issue-focused. She again urged Aleem Khan to come to the House and formally apologize to Senator Palwasha Khan, underscoring that personal remarks have no place in the Senate.
