SIC members hold symbolic session outside PA, demand restoration of membership of 11 MPAs. PA Speaker warns Opposition’s lawmakers abusive language will not be tolerated. Announces formation of ethics committee to address deterioration of decorum.
LAHORE – The Opposition in the Punjab Assembly on Saturday staged strong protest on floor of the house a day after the Speaker suspended membership of eleven MPAs. The treasury y members also raised slogan during speeches made by opposition members. The opposition then boycotted the proceedings of the assembly and walked out of the house. Subsequently, members of Sunni Ittehad Council (SIC) commenced a symbolic session outside the gate of the assembly and said that they will continue to boycott the assembly proceedings until the assembly membership of eleven of the SIC members is restored. On the other hand, a heavy contingent of police along with prison van was deployed in and outside the Punjab assembly to prevent the suspended opposition members from entering the assembly premises.
PA Speaker on Friday suspended the membership of eleven members of the Sunni Ittehad Council during the budget session for raising slogans and violating the sanctity of the house. During the Punjab Assembly session on Saturday, the Speaker introduced the supplementary budget demands. As proceedings began on the motion submitted by the opposition, government members also started making loud noise.
Opposition member Rana Aftab urged the Speaker to stop the treasury members from creating chaos. In
response, the Speaker remarked, you made noise too; now the opposition should also speak amidst the same rumpus.
Noticing the noise of the treasury members during the speech of the opposition members, the speaker once again addressed the opposition stating that yesterday opposition didn’t listen to him when he tried to restore the order in the house and today government members are not listening to him.
Later the opposition members started sloganeering during the session, while the speaker warned the members to sit on their seats. Following which the opposition boycotted the proceedings of the assembly and walked out of the house.
Opposition leader Malik Ahmed Khan Bhachar said the protest of the opposition will continue till the restoration of the assembly membership of SIC suspended members. After boycotting the proceedings of the Punjab Assembly, the Sunni Union Council started a symbolic session outside the gate of the Assembly.
Waqas Mann of SIC performed duties of the Speaker during the symbolic session of the opposition, during the session Qazi Ahmed Akbar presented a resolution to reject the defamation bill. The symbolic speaker asked the members of the assembly to raise their hands and vote, after which all the members raised their hands and approved the resolution to renounce the defamation bill. Subsequently the symbolic speaker Waqas Mann made a symbolic declaration of rejection of the bill.
Meanwhile, Punjab Assembly Speaker Malik Ahmad Khan Saturday emphasised that the sanctity of the House must be protected in any case and urged each member to play their proactive part in this regard.
While speaking to reporters, he stressed the importance of adhering to democratic traditions and attributed the degradation of the house to its members. He criticised the opposition for creating chaos during the Chief Minister’s speech, calling it intolerable. He asserted that all MPAs must uphold the house’s dignity and protest in a civilised manner.
As the custodian of the house, the speaker asserted his responsibility to maintain decorum and ensure the assembly’s proceedings align with Constitutional guidelines. He reaffirmed that while members are free to speak in their mother tongues, abusive language would not be tolerated. Promising to maintain order, he questioned how legislative business could proceed amid such misconduct, remarking that the assembly is neither a public gathering venue nor a protest container. He vowed to protect the Punjab Assembly’s honour, citing his constitutional oath.
Malik Ahmad Khan announced that the tolerance for the opposition’s actions had reached its limit, leading to the formation of an ethics committee. This committee will review the language used by members of the opposition and provide appropriate responses. He revealed that several opposition members had been barred from participating in house proceedings for using appropriate and unethical language.
Despite efforts to foster a culture of dialogue, he expressed regret over the opposition’s response and emphasized his commitment to fairness, ensuring no excesses are committed against anyone.
