Sahar Kamran walks out after heated exchange with Attaullah Tarar in NA Committee

A tense exchange occurred in a National Assembly committee when MNA Sahar Kamran raised concerns about delayed meetings, missing agenda

Islamabad: A tense exchange occurred in a National Assembly committee when MNA Sahar Kamran raised concerns about delayed meetings, missing agenda items, and discrepancies in PSDP projects, prompting Information Minister Attaullah Tarar to protest and leading to Kamran’s walkout. The incident unfolded during a committee session focused on PEMRA, the Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority, where questions on PTV and other media projects sparked disagreement between the two officials.

The confrontation began when Kamran highlighted that the committee was meeting after a six month gap and noted that key items from previous meetings including a subcommittee report and the NRTC and other reports were missing from the agenda. She told the committee, “This meeting is happening after months. This was in no way justified because it is undermining the role of the parliament. These points must be taken up.”

Kamran then questioned the Ministry’s PSDP project allocations, pointing out discrepancies in the number and budget of projects. She noted that 14 projects previously discussed with a budget of Rs12.3 billion had increased to 17 projects totaling Rs14.5 billion, including 10 unapproved projects. She also raised concerns about the revamping of PTVC and outdated fiber connectivity in the Ministry’s brief, asking how quality could be ensured on obsolete networks.

Minister Attaullah Tarar responded by emphasizing that the committee’s agenda focused on PEMRA matters and protested what he described as the “hijacking” of the meeting by unrelated topics. He suggested deferring new agenda items and focusing on unfinished business from previous meetings. Tarar remarked, “Record my protest. With all respect to the honorable members, it cannot happen that the meeting is hijacked by things not on the agenda. Compliance report confirmation does not mean reopening the whole agenda. We came prepared for PEMRA.”

In response, Kamran expressed dissatisfaction with the Minister’s approach, stating that critical issues such as the incomplete Council of Complaints, unpaid salaries, and the lack of oversight over censorship were being ignored. She announced her walkout, saying, “I am protesting against the Minister’s behavior and I am walking out. Other committees meet regularly; the Minister forcibly cancelled the last meeting. It is the right of the members to ask questions. I protest, I walk out.”

After her departure, Minister Tarar addressed the Chairman and other members, noting that members should respect the pre printed agenda and that Kamran’s walkout was due to a lack of substantiated reasoning for her claims. He stated, “Where you have no logic, you push a pre printed agenda, The reality is that the honorable member left because she doesn’t have strong reasons to corroborate her work.” Fifteen minutes later, Tarar also left the committee, and PEMRA continued its briefing in his absence.

The incident highlights ongoing tensions in parliamentary oversight processes, with members seeking clarity on media project funding and the Ministry emphasizing adherence to structured agendas. The exchange between Kamran and Tarar reflects broader concerns about the balance between accountability, administrative procedure, and parliamentary debate within Pakistan’s legislative framework.