Afghan Senator Suspended for Physical Attack on Colleague

A senator in the Afghan parliament was suspended for a physical attack on one of his colleagues on Sunday, October 29, over debate on whether to hold a traditional Loya Jirga, a grand assembly to choose a new leader or address a major policy change.Senators in the upper house of parliament, or Meshrano Jirga, were split on whether to convene the traditional gathering, when Kandahar Senator Rahmatullah Achakzai got angry with Mohammad Hanif Hanifi, Urozgan province senator, threw an object toward him, and began to strike blows, as seen in this video.Other members present quickly settled Achakzai and moved him away.Physical violence is against the rules in the Meshrano Jirga, though fights are common in Afghan politics. Credit: YouTube/TOLOnews via Storyful