MUZAFFARABAD, Sept 12: The Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) Legislative Assembly proceedings were disrupted by a noisy commotion by the main opposition Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) lawmakers in protest against speaker Sardar Ghulam Sadiq’s alleged biased attitude, here on Wednesday.

The speaker, who had earlier tried to bring the tempers down by announcing a 15-minute break, had however prorogued the session, abruptly, till 10:00am on Thursday, in a virtual state of helplessness.

It all began after PML-N legislator, Dr Najeeb Naqi introduced an adjournment motion regarding alleged corruption in Mirpur’s Jinnah Model Town.

Mr Naqi said that Prime Minister Chaudhry Abdul Majeed had always invited everyone to pinpoint corruption but, regrettably, whenever the opposition tried to highlight corruption with documentary evidence, its voice was muzzled.

He asserted that Jinnah Town project was a scam involving huge corruption and the house should discuss and debate it, by putting all other business on hold.

However, the speaker declared the motion as a calling attention notice and said the house could hold debates on the issue through the notice as well.

Taking the floor, Prime Minister Majeed informed the house that he had constituted a committee with secretary works to present its report on the issue within 3 days and the same would be tabled in the house.

Leader of the opposition and PML-N AJK chapter president Raja Farooq Haider expressed confidence in the committee and proposed one more name of a technocrat for the committee, though one of his deputies, Chaudhry Muhammad Ismail, suggested formation of a parliamentary committee to probe the issue.

In an emotionally charged tone, Mr Majeed threw his support behind the bureaucracy, saying he had full faith in his officers and he would not defame anyone without reason or evidence.

“It’s up to the rider how he tames and rides the horse,” he remarked.

PML-N’s Chaudhry Muhammad Hussain, who is known for his loud talking voice, accused the speaker of running the house, according to his whims and wishes and in contravention of the rules of procedure.

He also charged the speaker with making illegal appointments in the Assembly secretariat which “needed a thorough probe.”

While Mr Hussain was speaking, the speaker announced a 15 minutes break. However, when the house met again, Mr Hussain again took the floor and termed the speaker’s ruling about Mr Naqi’s motion as unlawful.

As Mr Hussain continued with his contentions in a deafening tone, the speaker announced suspension of his membership for the day though it did not make any difference to him.

The speaker kept on asking Mr Hussain to leave the house and got his mike switched off.

Finally, when Mr Hussain left the house, his colleagues took a strong exception to the “contempt of public representatives” by the chair and warned that they would not let the proceedings continue.

In the meanwhile, Mr Hussain returned to the hall and shortly afterwards PML-N lawmakers stood in front of the speaker’s dais, which created pandemonium in the house, compelling the chair to prorogue the house till 10 am on Thursday.

Earlier, the house approved induction of Education Minister Mian Abdul Waheed in the parliamentary committee for constitutional reforms in place of finance minister Chaudhry Latif Akbar, who is currently undergoing hepatitis treatment in UK.

The house also offered fatiha khawani for all those persons who had died in flash floods and other calamities in AJK and Pakistan.