Chairman of the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA), Hafeez ur Rehman, has issued a statement addressing the controversy surrounding his exchange with Senator Aimal Wali Khan during a Senate Standing Committee meeting.
He termed the ongoing political and social media campaign against him as a "misunderstanding."
In his clarification, the PTA chairman expressed regret over the incident, stating that he had no intention of being disrespectful or using unparliamentary language. He described the interaction with Senator Aimal Wali Khan as a "light-hearted exchange," and noted that he had already apologized in front of the committee if anyone felt hurt.
Rehman emphasized that he holds the senator and his family in high regard and has the utmost respect for all members of the Senate. He reaffirmed his commitment to serve the country while upholding parliamentary norms.
The controversy arose during a meeting of the Senate Standing Committee on Information Technology, where a heated exchange occurred between Chairman PTA and Senator Aimal Wali Khan.
During the session, the chairman allegedly made a sarcastic remark suggesting, "Give me some of that too," implying drug use—an accusation that angered the senator, who demanded an explanation for the inappropriate and disrespectful comment.
Senator Aimal Wali submits privilege motion against PTA chairman
Senator Aimal Wali Khan has submitted a privilege motion in the Senate against Chairman of the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA), accusing him of misconduct during a Senate functional committee meeting.
Raising the issue on the Senate floor, Aimal Wali detailed the incident, stating that after briefly stepping out of the meeting to smoke in the corridor, the PTA chairman made an offensive remark in Pashto, implying he had smoked a drug-laced cigarette.
Aimal Wali further alleged that the chairman repeated inappropriate comments even in the presence of the committee chair, which he deemed an insult to the entire Parliament.
“This is not just an insult to me but to the dignity of the Senate itself,” he said, demanding action on the privilege motion. Aimal Wali also expressed his disillusionment with the committee system, announcing he would no longer attend future meetings.
Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar voiced his support for the motion, after which Senate Chairman Yousaf Raza Gillani referred the matter to the Senate Privilege Committee for further action.
