- Reference accuses PTI-SIC members of deliberately disrupting proceedings, using inappropriate language, and defying requests to maintain decorum
- Malik Ahmad Khan asserts those who violated the constitutional oath have no right to remain part of the House
ISLAMABAD: Punjab Assembly Speaker Malik Muhammad Ahmad Khan on Thursday filed a reference against 26 members of the Sunni Ittehad Council (SIC) with the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP), seeking their disqualification over charges of unparliamentarily conduct, rioting, and repeated violation of assembly rules.
On June 27, 2025, the opposition MPs allegedly caused disruption, damaging property during a Punjab Assembly session. In response, Speaker Malik Muhammad Ahmad Khan suspended the membership of these 26 SIC lawmakers.
Later on June 28, the Speaker announced his decision to refer the matter to the ECP for the disqualification of the suspended members.
According to sources, the PA speaker visited the ECP office in Islamabad to formally submit the references, which include evidence of the MPs’ disorderly actions.
According to the text of the reference, the accused members deliberately disrupted proceedings, used inappropriate language, and defied multiple requests to maintain decorum during sessions.
The Speaker exercised his authority under Rule 210 of the Assembly Rules and cited Clauses 15 and 210 of the code of conduct, stating that the members’ actions forced repeated suspensions of the House and damaged the institution’s credibility.
It was further noted that despite continuous appeals, the lawmakers continued to violate rules and hinder the constitutional business of the assembly.
It requested the ECP to terminate the membership of the 26 SIC MPAs, citing their violation of assembly decorum and constitutional norms.
The ECP is expected to review the references and decide on the lawmakers’ fate in accordance with legal provisions.
‘Those who violated oath have no right to remain part of the House’
Talking to the media outside the Election Commission office, Speaker Malik Ahmad Khan said those who violated the constitutional oath have no right to remain part of the House. “The lawmakers in question not only failed to protect the sanctity of the institution but also crossed all limits of decency and democratic behavior,” the PA speaker asserted, noting that the assembly is the place to legislate and debate—not to resort to abusive language or physical altercations.
He questioned whether it was appropriate for members to engage in brawls and use derogatory language in the very place where laws are to be made. He added that while he had shown patience for over a year and a half as Speaker in the hope of restoring democratic conduct, that patience should not be mistaken as weakness. If he were to accept the opposition’s unruly behavior as democratic, he said, then he himself would be the guiltiest of all.
The Speaker emphasized that the rules of procedure made by the assembly hold constitutional status under Article 69, and any act of deliberate disorder within the House is not only a breach of decorum but also a violation of the Constitution. He also criticized the opposition for using legal petitions to undermine the legitimacy of the House, stating that democracy cannot be dictated by a handful of court filings or disruptive tactics.
He reiterated that the purpose of his reference was to safeguard the integrity of the assembly and uphold the Constitution, adding that no number of agitators would deter him from fulfilling his responsibilities. “Even if there are 35 who break the Constitution, I will continue to do what I must,” he said.
The matter now rests with the Election Commission, which will examine the reference and decide on the political fate of the 26 lawmakers named in it.
