LAHORE – Punjab Assembly Speaker Malik Muhammad Ahmad Khan announced on Saturday that a formal reference against 26 suspended PTI lawmakers will be sent to the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP). The decision follows disruptive scenes in the assembly, where members resorted to loud sloganeering and tore official documents.
The PTI MPAs have already been suspended for 15 sessions due to their unruly behavior during an ongoing session. The Speaker strongly condemned the incident, stressing that the dignity of the assembly must never be compromised, regardless of political differences.
Addressing a press conference, Malik Ahmad Khan said the opposition has every right to protest, but only within constitutional and procedural limits. “We will not allow any group to take the assembly hostage or use abusive language on the floor,” he stated firmly.
He further warned that lawmakers who break the rules will be barred from entering the assembly chamber. “It’s unacceptable to throw books or documents at each other. Discipline must be maintained at all times,” the Speaker added.
Responding to PTI’s protest over their jailed leader, Khan remarked, “Tell me whose leader hasn’t gone to jail? That doesn’t give anyone the right to create chaos in the house.” He reiterated that order and respect are essential for the legislative process to function properly.
The list of suspended members includes Malik Fahad Masood, Muhammad Tanveer Aslam, Syed Riffat Mehmood, Yasir Mehmood Qureshi, Kaleemullah Khan, Ahmad Mujtaba Chaudhry, and Eman Kanwal, among others. The Speaker emphasized that the ECP reference aims to hold them accountable and prevent future disruptions.