Opposition MPA slaps govt member in Punjab Assembly

LAHORE: A Punjab Assembly session witnessed chaos on Monday when opposition member Khalid Nisar Dogar slapped government lawmaker Hassan Riaz, leading to a physical altercation and a brief adjournment.

The clash occurred during the session chaired by Acting Speaker Zahid Iqbal Channar, after both lawmakers exchanged provocative taunts. The situation escalated when Dogar attacked Riaz, prompting a scuffle on the assembly floor.

In response, the acting speaker suspended the session for five minutes to restore order. Later, Speaker Channar held consultations with senior government members, after which opposition lawmakers were directed to return to the house. Government lawmakers condemned the opposition’s conduct, calling it “undemocratic” and “unacceptable.”

“We can tolerate slogans, but physical assault is intolerable,” government members stated, urging disciplinary action. This came almost two weeks after Acting Speaker Channar ordered the reinstatement of 26 suspended opposition members of the provincial house, saying that their return would send a positive message.

On June 27, PTI lawmakers protested in the house during Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz’s speech. The proceedings broke into a disarray as lawmakers surrounded the speaker’s dais and raised slogans.

In response, Speaker Malik Ahmed Khan suspended 26 opposition lawmakers for 15 sittings and fined 10 MPAs Rs200,000 each for “damaging public property”. He then filed disqualification references with the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) against the 26 PTI legislators over “unparliamentary conduct”.

However, the PA speaker later formally rejected the petitions seeking the disqualification of 26 PTI members following successful negotiations between the government and the opposition. Furthermore, no-confidence motions aimed at removing nine chairpersons of the committees belonging to the opposition were also stopped. Prior to this development, four opposition chairpersons had already been removed.

In his written decision, he underscored that the speaker’s role was not merely to act as a “postman” by forwarding such requests to the election commission. He cautioned that such an unscrutinised process could “weaken the constitutional framework” and “curtail freedom of expression” within the provincial assembly.