ISLAMABAD:
The Punjab Assembly Speaker Malik Ahmed Khan on Thursday filed a disqualification reference with the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) against 26 opposition members of the provincial assembly (MPAs) for “disparaging the sanctity of the house”.
The MPAs against whom the reference was sent to the electoral supervisor belong to the Sunni Ittehad Council (SIC).
Talking to media, the speaker confirmed the development, saying that those, who violated the sanctity of the house, would not be spared. “The matter is with the ECP, which may disqualify such members,” he added.
Malik Ahmed Khan said that it was not a democratic norm to resort to misconduct, use abusive language and resort to violence in parliament. “It is anti-democracy attitude”.
He said the Article 63 of the Constitution clearly defines the criteria for disqualification, and emphasised that every member of parliament takes oath to safeguard the Constitution. He vowed to fight the case for the protection of the Constitution.
“It is my duty to maintain order in the house,” said the Punjab Assembly speaker. “I am showing patience for more than one and a half years. I have to justify my role as the speaker,” Malik Ahmed Khan stated.
Earlier, the speaker directed a legal team to prepare a draft reference for consultation, before potentially submitting it to the ECP for the de-seating of 26 suspended SIC MPAs over their alleged disruptive, abusive and disorderly conduct in the house.
The directive came during a meeting between the speaker and the legal experts after an initial determination that a reference could be filed based on the applications submitted by PML-N lawmakers, who urged the Speaker’s Office to take action against the suspended members.
On June 27, the situation in the Punjab Assembly aggravated as the opposition’s noisy protest disrupted proceedings during Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz’s addresses. Their conduct appeared even more aggressive, reportedly in response to the Supreme Court’s ruling on reserved seats.
The protest quickly escalated into scuffles between treasury and opposition lawmakers. Despite Speaker Khan’s repeated efforts to control the situation, order could not be restored.
Consequently, on the same day, the speaker suspended 26 opposition lawmakers, invoking Rule 210(3) of the Rules of Procedure of the Provincial Assembly of Punjab (1997).
On June 28, the speaker, directed that Rs2,035,000 in damages be recovered from 10 PTI MPAs – approximately Rs203,550 each – for climbing onto desks and breaking eight microphones during their protest on June 16, when the provincial budget was being presented.
It is worth noting that protest has historically been a recognised feature of parliamentary proceedings. Opposition lawmakers are often seen engaging in fiery exchanges, desk-thumping, slogan-chanting, tearing up agenda papers or budget documents and holding placards aloft.
