LOC15:38
12:38 GMT
BAGHDAD, Aug 27 (KUNA) -- Hall of the Iraqi parliament witnessed on Saturday heated debates that developed into fistfights among the lawmakers including at least two female members of the assembly.
A source at the assembly's information office told KUNA that deputies, namely Awatef Naamah from the National Alliance and Ashwaq Al-Jaf from the Kurdistan Coalition, engaged in abusive rhetorical exchanges that quickly developed into fighting.
The session was held to grill Finance Minister Hushyar Zebari over alleged administrative and financial corruption. The MPs voted on a motion stipulating that the arguments presented by Zebari were non-convincing.
MP Haitham Al-Jabbouri, who questioned Zebari, also traded indecent remarks with MPs from the Kurdistan Coalition, of which Zebari is a member.
The violent quarrel broke out when Al-Jabbouri presented the motion, signed by 50 members, to state whether the grilled official's answers were convincing.
The source said the chairman, Salim Al-Jabbouri, addressed the parliamentary conduct committee to bring into account any member who attacks or threatens a colleague.
The vote is prelude to a no-confidence voting against Zebari, due in a week, according to the Iraqi law. (end)
ahm.rk