ISLAMABAD: Senate Chairman Yousaf Raza Gilani on Thursday referred a disciplinary matter involving Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) Chairman Major General (retd) Hafeez Ur Rehman to the Senate Privileges Committee, following an intense exchange during a committee meeting.
The incident unfolded on Wednesday during a session of the Senate Functional Committee on Problems of Less Developed Areas, chaired by Senator Agha Shahzaib Durrani. The session took a dramatic turn when the PTA chief allegedly directed an inappropriate remark at Awami National Party (ANP) President and Senator Aimal Wali Khan, asking if he had consumed charas — a form of hand-made hashish.
Senator Aimal Wali Khan reacted sharply, saying, “How can a government official accuse me of coming here after smoking charas? Who gave you the audacity to speak to me like that?”
The PTA chairman later attempted to de-escalate the situation by apologising, saying, “It was a mistake on my part.”
However, Senator Aimal rejected the apology, demanding accountability. “If you’re under the influence of drugs or alcohol, that’s when you speak this way. Either he remains in the meeting, or I do,” he declared.
Following the confrontation, the PTA chairman left the meeting.
Senator Durrani strongly condemned the incident, describing the chairman’s conduct as “disrespectful not just to a fellow senator but to the entire committee.” He announced that the matter would be formally taken up with the prime minister and instructed the IT secretary to address the issue promptly.
Earlier in the meeting, Senator Aimal Wali Khan had criticised the poor telecom infrastructure in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. “Despite billions being allocated through the Universal Service Fund, areas like Kurram, Chitral, Swat, Swabi, and Buner still lack basic mobile connectivity,” he said, requesting detailed reports on telecom development for the next session.
In response to the PTA chairman’s behaviour, the ANP filed a privilege motion in the Senate. ANP spokesperson Ihsanullah confirmed the move on Thursday, adding that the matter has also been escalated to the prime minister.
“The PTA chairman’s conduct was entirely unacceptable,” said Ihsanullah. “He displayed an inappropriate and disrespectful attitude toward our party president during a formal Senate committee session.”
