The Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP) has issued a statement after Special Assistant to Prime Minister on Political Communications Shahbaz Gill verbally abused MNA Ramesh Kumar Vankwani in a live television show on Dunya News.
This episode. littered with verbal abuse, aired on Thursday after dissident lawmakers from the ruling Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf were found taking "refuge" in the Sindh House in Islamabad, saying they feared security at the Parliament Lodges, especially after the March 10 episode against other MNAs of the opposition.
Disgruntled PTI lawmakers find 'refuge' in Sindh House Islamabad
During the live TV show hosted by Kamran Shahid, Gill called the lawmaker, belonging to the minority a "political pimp" and accused the latter of seeking help from the PM's aide for selling fake cancer medicines in Punjab.
"HRCP is revolted by politician Shahbaz Gill's crass choice of words for his colleague Ramesh Kumar on national television," read the statement issued by the HRCP.
"What should have been a civilised debate on a politically critical issue crumbled into a litany of abuse. This in no way represents freedom of expression and anchor Kamran Shahid should not have brushed the abuse aside as ‘Mr Gill’s temper’. With the media already hemmed in on so many fronts, we cannot afford to let the office of the editor and anchor become bait rather than direction."
Kumar, who was one of the MNAs staying at the Sindh House and claimed that three federal ministers were going to resign from their posts, reported Geo News.
A National Assembly session is expected to be called on March 21 wherein voting on the no-confidence motion against Prime Minister Imran Khan is expected on March 28, as per reports.