ISLAMABAD: Punjab Assembly Speaker Malik Ahmad Khan filed a reference with the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) on Thursday, seeking the disqualification of 26 opposition lawmakers from the provincial assembly for allegedly violating the sanctity of the house.
The lawmakers in question are members of the Sunni Ittehad Council (SIC). Speaking to the media, Speaker Khan emphasized that those who disrespect the house and engage in misconduct would not be spared. “The matter is with the ECP, and it may lead to the disqualification of such members,” he stated.
Khan condemned the use of abusive language, violence, and disorderly conduct in the parliament, calling it an anti-democratic act. He referred to Article 63 of the Constitution, which outlines the criteria for disqualification, and reaffirmed the importance of parliamentarians taking an oath to safeguard the Constitution. “It is my duty to maintain order in the house,” Khan said. “I have been showing patience for over a year and a half, and now I must justify my role as Speaker.”
The reference follows a sequence of events triggered by the opposition’s disruptive behavior during a session on June 27. The opposition MPs protested loudly during Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz’s address, which led to a series of scuffles between the treasury and opposition benches. Despite Khan’s efforts to restore order, the situation escalated, and the speaker was forced to suspend 26 SIC members under Rule 210(3) of the Punjab Assembly’s Rules of Procedure.
Earlier, on June 28, Khan also ordered Rs2,035,000 in damages to be recovered from 10 PTI MPAs for their role in disrupting the provincial budget session on June 16, during which they climbed onto desks and damaged microphones.
Protests have long been a part of parliamentary proceedings, with opposition lawmakers often engaging in noisy protests and fiery exchanges. However, the recent incidents have raised concerns about the limits of acceptable behavior in the assembly.
