The Punjab Assembly has started legal steps to de-seat 26 suspended opposition lawmakers from Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) due to their disruptive behavior in recent sessions. Sources say this move aims to maintain order in the assembly.
The Speaker’s Office is consulting closely with the Provincial Law Ministry to finalize the process. Speaker Malik Muhammad Ahmad Khan confirmed they are reviewing a past Supreme Court ruling related to party defection as a legal guide.
The suspended lawmakers face possible termination of their assembly membership for allegedly defying their party leadership’s directives. A formal reference to the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) is expected after Ashura.
Earlier, the Speaker suspended these 26 PTI members for 15 sittings for disrupting legislative proceedings. The list includes notable names such as Malik Fahad Masood, Muhammad Tanvir Aslam, and Syed Riffat Mehmood among others.
In response, PTI MPA Ijaz Shafi condemned the suspension, calling it politically motivated and directed by Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz. He stated, “It is our democratic right to protest, and we won’t be silenced.”
This move deepens the political divide in Punjab, highlighting growing tensions between the ruling coalition and opposition. Observers fear this could lead to further instability in the province’s political landscape.