PML-N to boycott PA till six members are restored

LAHORE: The PTI government on Friday began the debate on provincial budget in the Punjab Assembly without the presence of the opposition, which boycotted the proceedings after Speaker Pervaiz Elahi suspended six opposition members on charges of rowdism and attacking the assembly secretary during the budget presentation three days ago.

The opposition members led by Hamza Shahbaz staged protest at the stairs of the assembly building, raising slogans against Prime Minister Imran Khan and Speaker Pervaiz Elahi, and for the release of Shahbaz Sharif, announcing not to join the House proceedings until the six suspended members are restored. The suspended members are Waheed Gul, Yasin Sohal, Pir Ashraf Rasool, Mirza Javed, Tariq Gill and Zebunnisa Awan.

It was a precedent in the parliamentary history of the Punjab Assembly when the government completely disregarded the opposition in the budget debate. According to parliamentary traditions, the budget debate is always begun by the leader of the opposition. Even Deputy Speaker Sardar Dost Mohammad Khan Mazari, who chaired the proceedings, ignored the parliamentary traditions and did not care to ask any minister to bring the opposition members into the House after conciliation.

The suspended members came to know about their punishment when they arrived at the assembly for attending the proceedings. The security staff turned them back from The Mall barrier, telling them that they could not enter the assembly premises. This led the opposition to launch a protest and boycott the proceedings. During the enthusiastic sloganeering against the PM, the speaker and other government leaders at the stairs of the assembly, one member of the opposition, Rahat Afza, fell down and lost consciousness. She was immediately provided first aid and sent back.

Talking to the media, the leader of the opposition, Hamza Shahbaz, accused Pervaiz Elahi of bias against the opposition which, he said, was against the democratic norms and traditions of the high office of the speaker.

Hamza alleged that rowdism and damage to furniture was caused by the members from both sides, but the speaker was taking prejudiced measures only against the opposition members. He alleged that the speaker stole votes of 12 opposition members for his own election and was playing the role of a petty policeman to suppress the opposition members. He said the PTI government was a product of rigging, and the opposition had rejected the results right after the general