Watch: Pakistan's Sindh Assembly descends into chaos after lawmakers engage in fisticuffs
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Three lawmakers from Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf had announced they would not be voting for PTI candidates in the Senate elections after they were neglected while tickets were awarded for the polls.
Pakistan's Sindh Assembly descended into chaos on Tuesday after lawmakers from the opposition Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) attacked three others for allegedly ''switching sides'' to the ruling Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) ahead of Senate elections on Wednesday.
The members of provincial assembly (MPAs) Karim Bux Gabol, Shaharyar Khan Shar, and Muhammad Aslam Abro had announced they would not be voting for PTI candidates in the Senate elections, claiming they were neglected while tickets were awarded for the polls.
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Upon arrival at the assembly on Tuesday, the lawmakers were welcomed by members of PPP. Soon, PTI lawmakers attacked the "rebel" members, which led to a scuffle.
Gabol was at the centre of the scuffle, daily Dawn said in a report. He was surrounded by other PTI lawmakers who called out PPP for "oppression". Earlier, in a video message on Monday, Gabol announced that he would not vote for candidates from the PTI in the Senate elections.
Once the violence subsided, Gabol was escorted out of the assembly, after which he was driven away, the newspaper reported. The others who had switched sides - Shar and Abro, continued to extend support to the PPP and left the assembly with government members.
The session was adjourned until Wednesday, when Senate elections are to take place.
After the dust settled, Abro told local media that he, along with other dissidents intends to vote "according to [their] conscience'' in the polls, adding that he still does not intend to support PTI candidates.