LAHORE:
The 26 PTI lawmakers in the Punjab Assembly, who were suspended in view of their disruptive behavior, have not yet availed the opportunity of a hearing provided by the legislature’s speaker, Malik Muhammad Ahmed Khan.
Speaker Khan on June 27 suspended these MPAs for creating “disruption, ruckus and chanting indecent slogans” during the speech of Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz in the house 3 under rule 210 (3) of the Rules of Procedure, Provincial Assembly of the Punjab, 1997.
The speaker had allowed the lawmakers to appear in his chamber and give an explanation by July 11 (today). Talking to The Express Tribune, Leader of Opposition Malik Ahamd Khan Bhachar, who belongs to the PTI, confirmed that they were consulting with their legal team about the speaker’s opportunity.
“We will take a decision with regard to the speaker’s hearing in a parliamentary meeting to be held on July 11 (today),” he added.
A reliable source seeking anonymity told The Express Tribune that a majority of the PTI’s MPAs are willing to avail this opportunity, place their case before the speaker and ask him whether they could be suspended in response to their protest during the CM’s speech.
Speaker Khan has also received references for disqualification of the MPAs under Article 63(2) read with Article 113 of the Constitution and it is mandatory for him to decide these references within 30 days.
The speaker on June 28 also sought recovery of damages of Rs2,035,000 from 10 PTI’s MPAs — Rs203,550 each — over mounting on their desks and breaking 8 microphones during their protest on June 16 when the provincial government presented the budget.
Speaker Khan had also ordered that opposition MPA Hassan Malik (PP-81) would remain absent from the assembly till the prorogation of the current session. He had issued this order after Hassan Malik threw a budget speech book at Finance Minister Mian Mujtaba Shujaur Rehman.
On June 24, Khan also ruled that “ALL members, regardless of their political affiliation, in order to preserve decorum, [will] uphold the dignity of this august Assembly, and ensure that parliamentary proceedings can continue without disruption”.
He had warned that in future he would “take all the steps within the legal framework to maintain order and uphold dignity of this august house and its members”. He had given this ruling in response to Bhachar’s point of order that protest is a constitutional right.
In order to determine whether the right to protest and freedom of expression is it an absolute right of the members, the speaker mentioned Rule 223 of the procedure.
The opposition leader strongly condemned these orders. He made it clear that the opposition will continue its protest.
