LAHORE: The Punjab Assembly Speaker, Malik Muhammad Ahmad Khan, has taken drastic action by suspending the membership of 11 MPs affiliated with the PTI-Sunni Ittehad Council alliance. This decision follows a tumultuous session during which opposition members disrupted Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz’s speech, prompting a heated confrontation between lawmakers.
According to an official notification, the suspended MPs include Zulfiqar Ali, Shabbaz Ahmed, Muhammad Arif, Tayab Ahmed, Hafiz Farhat, Sheikh Imdad, Tayab Rashid, Ejaz Shafi, Rana Umar Zaib, Shoaib Amir, Usama Asghar Ali, and Asad Abbas. Their suspension comes in response to the ruckus created during CM Maryam Nawaz’s address to the Punjab Assembly.
In addition to the membership suspensions, Speaker Malik Ahmad Khan also revoked the official vehicles and staff assigned to opposition leader Malik Ahmed Khan, a move he claimed was unprecedented in Pakistan’s parliamentary history. Furthermore, the speaker barred the entry of Deputy Opposition Leader Moeen Riaz Qureshi into the assembly, issuing orders to security officials via wireless communication.
During her speech, Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz emphasized the accomplishments of the provincial government in its initial 100 days, asserting that the achievements cannot be summarized in a single session. She reassured that the government’s budget introduced no new taxes for the people of Punjab, emphasizing the administration’s commitment to fiscal responsibility amidst opposition criticism.
Despite disruptions from opposition benches, CM Maryam Nawaz expressed confidence in defeating the opposition through the government’s performance, dismissing their protests as lacking substance.
The unfolding events in the Punjab Assembly underscore growing tensions and political maneuvers as both government and opposition factions navigate contentious legislative sessions in Pakistan’s largest province.
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