LAHORE: Speaker Chaudhry Pervaiz Elahi adjourned until May 16 a crucial session of the Punjab Assembly without holding any proceedings on Thursday.
A notification issued to this effect was also issued by his office.
“In exercise of the powers vested in me under rule 25(b) of the Rules of Procedure of the Provincial Assembly of Punjab, 1997, I, Parvez Elahi, Speaker, Provincial Assembly of Punjab, hereby order that the next sitting of the 40th Session of Punjab Assembly will now be held on Monday, 16th May 2022 at 11:30 am in Assembly Chambers, Lahore, instead of Thursday, 28th April 2022 at 11:30 am,” the notification read.
This is the second time Elahi has postponed the session.
The session with a motion of no-confidence in Deputy Speaker Dost Muhammad Mazari — filed by Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) and Pakistan Muslim League-Quaid (PML-Q) lawmakers — on the agenda will now be held at 11:30 am on May 16.
The voting was to be held through a secret ballot amid strict security arrangements. No lawmaker had been allowed to bring their mobile phone on the premises.
Women lawmakers had been barred from carrying their handbags on the floor, and guests had also not been allowed to witness the session.
ASSEMBLY SECRETARY ARRESTED
In a related development, the police arrested Punjab Assembly Secretary (Coordination) Inayat Ullah Lak while he was leaving to attend the court ahead of the session.
Lak was arrested from outside the Governor House and later shifted to Garhi Shahu police station.
