PTI MPA hurls shoe at Baldev Kumar in KP assembly

PESHAWAR: Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf MPA Arbab Jahandad on Tuesday hurled a shoe at fellow lawmaker Baldev Kumar in protest of the latter’s presence in the assembly.

Baldev, who was was produced in the Khyber Pakhtunkwa Assembly for taking oath as MPA on the orders of the Peshawar High Court, had to be escorted out to the assembly lobby with the help of security personnel.

Kumar has been accused in Soran Singh murder case and is facing a trial by an anti-terrorism court in Peshawar.

KP CM, speaker entered into deal with father's 'murderer': son of slain PTI MPA

Soran Singh, then adviser to KP chief minister, was assassinated in his native village in Buner valley in April 2016

Soran Singh, then adviser to CM Pervez Khattak, was assassinated in his native village in the Buner valley on April 22, 2016. Singh was elected to the provincial assembly on a minority seat.

It is pertinent to note that Kumar was second in the list of PTI's candidates on a reserved seat for minorities, Singh being the first. He had filed a separate petition with Peshawar High Court, seeking permission to attend KP Assembly proceedings.

On February 8, the PHC had directed the KP Assembly speaker "to issue order of production of the petitioner to administer oath as member of the provincial assembly of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa on minority seat in terms of Article 65 of the Constitution."

The speaker on Friday issued production orders for MPA-elect Baldev Kumar for attending the session today.

Arbab Jahandad today reiterated the same objections asking how a murderer can step foot in the assembly. He was flanked by Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz MPA Sardar Aurangzeb.

When the speaker said that they are bound by the court's orders, the lawmakers demanded that the KP government appeal the PHC order in the Supreme Court.