LAHORE: Tensions between the treasury and opposition lawmakers in the Punjab Assembly reached a boiling point on Tuesday after an alleged assault by an opposition MPA on a treasury member, followed by retaliation from the private guards of treasury lawmakers.
As the House proceedings began under Acting Speaker Malik Zaheer Iqbal Channer, both treasury and opposition benches condemned the incident, but each side blamed the other for initiating the violence. Treasury members accused the opposition of starting the clash, while the opposition pointed fingers at the private guards of treasury lawmakers, alleging that they stormed the assembly and attacked opposition MPAs.
Treasury lawmakers compared the incident to the chaos on May 9, accusing the opposition of stirring unrest. The opposition, in turn, criticized the treasury for creating panic by bringing in private muscle into the House.
Deputy Opposition Leader Muhammad Moeenuddin Riaz called for immediate action, demanding the suspension of PML-N’s Khalid Hassan Riaz, an FIR against the private guards accused of assaulting opposition lawmakers, and the suspension of the assembly’s chief security officer for allowing the guards into the premises.
In defense of the treasury’s position, Provincial Minister for Parliamentary Affairs Mian Mujtaba Shuja ur Rehman claimed that MPA Hassan Riaz had been addressing the chair when opposition lawmakers began heckling him, leading to the attack. He acknowledged that the incident in the Media Hall warranted a proper investigation but maintained that both sides should be held accountable.
The opposition, however, seemed to hold the upper hand in the blame game, focusing on the involvement of private guards in the scuffle and the suspension of its MPA, Sheikh Imtiaz, who had pointed out a lack of quorum.
Treasury lawmakers condemned the alleged assault on MPA Hassan Riaz by opposition MPA Khalid Nisar Dogar and accused Sheikh Imtiaz of using abusive language toward Acting Speaker Channer. However, the opposition dismissed the accusations, insisting that the altercation was confined to the assembly and that private guards should not have been allowed to attack lawmakers. They also rejected the claim that Sheikh Imtiaz used offensive language, asserting that the scuffle began with inappropriate remarks from PML-N’s Hassan Riaz.
Acting Speaker Channer assured the House that strict action would be taken if it was proven that private individuals were involved in the attack. Meanwhile, MPA Hassan Riaz boycotted the House proceedings over the nomination of opposition MPA Mian Ijaz Shafi to the committee investigating the assault and demanded Shafi’s suspension.
Treasury lawmaker Amina Perveen also raised concerns over delayed traffic challans, criticizing the outdated notices sent to individuals.
