June 30, 2025
By Rehan Piracha
LAHORE:
The political standoff in the Punjab Assembly intensified on Monday as opposition lawmakers walked out and boycotted future sessions in protest over the suspension of 26 PTI-backed members.
The June 28 suspensions followed disruptions during Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz’s budget speech. The crisis deepened when the treasury benches passed no-confidence motions, stripping four opposition legislators of their committee chairmanships on Monday. The opposition accused the government of authoritarianism and bias.
Chanting slogans against the Speaker and the government, opposition members gathered outside the Punjab Assembly building. Speaking at a press conference alongside the suspended MPAs, Opposition Leader Malik Ahmad Khan Bhachar decried what he termed a breakdown of legal procedures in the House.
“No legal process is taking place here—this is a family monopoly being enforced,” Bhachar alleged. “If everyone protested, why were only 26 suspended? They should have suspended everyone.”
He said the suspended members were first penalized, then fined, and now removed from committee chairmanships through no-confidence motions. “We are protesting against Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz to demand answers for the injustices inflicted upon us. We will not remain silent,” Bhachar said, adding that PTI would continue its protest at all forums.
“The Speaker reads us the Constitution and law books, but by his logic, the only thing left for us is the death penalty,” he remarked sarcastically. “We are being punished while government members are being congratulated.”
Calling the Speaker biased and no longer a neutral custodian of the House, Bhachar said, “We were shown no video evidence. The suspension of 26 members is meant to block us from requisitioning assembly sessions. We will challenge every such move in court.”
Bhachar also accused the government of massive corruption, claiming the opposition was questioning the CM about alleged misappropriation of billions in development funds.
“We’re boycotting the Speaker’s conduct. We will not attend this Assembly until our members are reinstated. Our boycott will remain a stain on the Speaker’s record,” he said, announcing plans to hold parallel sessions outside the assembly.
He further said, “After the 26th Amendment, we have no hope of justice from the courts, but we will still approach them.”
4 committee chairs ousted
Before Monday’s session, treasury members successfully moved no-confidence motions to remove four opposition lawmakers from their positions as committee chairpersons. These included: Ansar Iqbal, Chair of the Standing Committee on Literacy; Saima Kanwal, Chair of the Standing Committee on Special Education; Ahsan Ali, Chair of the Standing Committee on Colonies; and Rai Murtaza, Chair of the Standing Committee on Management and Professional Development.
Sources said no-confidence motions have also been submitted against two more opposition-led committees, and the remaining seven may face similar action. Additionally, references against the 26 suspended members are likely to be sent to the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) before the next assembly session.
Speaker defends action
During Monday’s session, Speaker Malik Muhammad Ahmad Khan defended the suspensions, asserting his constitutional duty to maintain order in the House. Later, the assembly passed a resolution on the occasion of the International Day of Parliamentarism, condemning the conduct of the opposition MPAs during the speeches of the finance minister and chief minister.
Why were 26 MPAs suspended
On Saturday, 26 opposition MPAs were suspended for 15 sessions for disrupting the CM’s speech and exhibiting rowdy behavior. Ten were fined over Rs200,000 each for allegedly damaging public property during the budget session.
The Speaker took this action following the June 27 session, during which PTI MPAs gathered at his desk and chanted slogans while CM Maryam Nawaz was highlighting her government’s achievements and budget priorities.
The chants that reportedly triggered the suspensions accused the Sharif family of corruption and Maryam Nawaz of misappropriating Rs10 trillion in development funds. PTI members also demanded the release of party founder Imran Khan during her address.
Ironically, during the uproar, the CM was heard saying, “Let the opposition carry on. I acknowledge their right to protest.” The Speaker has also hinted at referring the 26 MPAs to the ECP for disqualification.
Suspended and fined lawmakers
The 26 suspended MPAs include Malik Fahad Masood, Muhammad Tanveer Aslam, Syed Riffat Mehmood, Yasir Mehmood Qureshi, Kaleemullah Khan, Muhammad Ansar Iqbal, Ali Asif, Zulfiqar Ali, Ahmad Mujtaba Chaudhary, Shahid Javed, Muhammad Ismael, Khayal Ahmad, Shahbaz Ahmad, Tayyab Rashid, Imtiaz Mehmood, Ali Imtiaz, Rashid Tufail, Rai Muhammad Murtaza Iqbal, Khalid Zubair Nisar, Chaudhry Muhammad Ejaz Shafi, Saima Kanwal, Muhammad Naeem, Sajjad Ahmad, Rana Aurangzaib, Lt Col (retired) Shoaib Ameer, and Usama Asghar Ali Gujjar.
Among the ten MPAs fined, four were not part of the suspension list. They include Shahbaz Ahmad, Chaudhry Javed Kausar, Mohammad Ahsan Ali and Asad Abbas (Majlis Wahdat-i-Muslimeen).
Speaker Malik Ahmad Khan cited Rule 210 of the Punjab Assembly Rules of Procedure 1997, which grants him the power to order a member’s suspension or withdrawal. He stated the 26 lawmakers violated four provisions of Rule 223, which prohibits interrupting members during speeches; chanting slogans or displaying placards; throwing or tearing official documents; and engaging in disorderly or rowdy conduct.
The Speaker accused opposition lawmakers of manhandling treasury members, blocking their access to benches, and acting aggressively. “I repeatedly attempted to call the House to order, but the opposition refused to comply and continued defying my authority,” Khan said.