Punjab Assembly passes several bills amid brawl
The Punjab Assembly session began two hours and nineteen minutes late on Monday under the chairmanship of Acting Speaker Malik Zaheer Iqbal. As soon as the proceedings started, opposition members launched a protest, chanting slogans as they entered the house. Treasury members retaliated with their own slogans.
Parliamentary Minister Mian Mujtaba Shuja-ur-Rahman addressed the assembly, stating that the session would proceed under Rule 232. He criticised the opposition for bringing too many photographs into the house, calling it objectionable. Deputy Opposition Leader Moeen Qureshi; however, condemned what he called a politically motivated conviction of opposition leader Ahmed Khan Bhachar, stating that such injustice had no precedent in Punjab's history. He demanded that the session be paused to allow members to express solidarity with Bhachar.
Qureshi further revealed that the PTI's parliamentary party had written to the Chief Justice of Pakistan, alleging human rights violations due to expedited trials running from 9 AM to 3 AM. Meanwhile, government member Waseem Ran protested against the Dolphin Police's brutal assault on a child, citing CCTV evidence of the incident. He accused the force of harassing citizens through unnecessary checkpoints, particularly referencing an incident at Pul Barkatabad where four officers allegedly beat a minor. Acting Speaker Malik Zaheer Iqbal condemned the violence, calling it unacceptable and demanding strict action.
Deputy Opposition Leader Moeen Qureshi pointed out that several high-profile figures, including Andaleeb Abbas, Firdous Ashiq Awan, Murad Raas, and Fayyaz-ul-Hasan Chohan, had been acquitted after press conferences, implying political bias in prosecutions. Opposition member Rai Ijaz lamented the discouragement faced by their members, while Mujtaba Shuja-ur-Rahman countered that Ahmed Khan Bhachar's conviction was a judicial decision, not a political one. He emphasised that the courts had independently ruled on the May 9 cases, and the government had no role in the sentencing.
The opposition staged a walkout, chanting slogans, while another opposition member, Sheikh Imtiaz, pointed out the lack of quorum—leading to his suspension for 15 sittings. Amid the chaos, PML-N Chief Whip Rana Muhammad Arshad lashed out at the PTI, calling them a 'disruptive force' and warning that 'if the May 9 agitators raise their hands against us, we will cut them off.'
The session took a violent turn when Opposition MPA Khalid Nisar Dogar slapped Treasury MPA Hassan Riaz, triggering a brawl between lawmakers. Acting Speaker Zaheer Iqbal Channar adjourned the session temporarily and summoned members to his chamber for mediation. After discussions, Dogar was suspended for 15 sittings— a decision the opposition rejected, arguing that the matter should have been referred to the Ethics Committee instead.
As opposition members continued protesting, another MPA, Sheikh Imtiaz, raised the quorum issue, resulting in his suspension as well.
Law Minister Sohaib Bharath defended the treasury's stance, stating that the opposition's behaviour was undermining democracy. He expressed regret over the need to invoke religious symbols in legislative disputes, urging political dialogue instead. Meanwhile, government member Amjad Ali Javed revealed that patients were dying due to doctors' refusal to prescribe outside medicines in government hospitals—a policy enforced under Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz's orders but poorly implemented, leading to shortages.
Following repeated disruptions, the assembly passed key bills before adjourning. The session, marred by physical clashes, suspensions, and heated exchanges, highlighted the deepening political divide in Punjab's legislature. Acting Speaker Zaheer Iqbal condemned the violence, calling it a 'black day' for democracy, while the opposition vowed to continue resisting what it termed as government oppression.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2025
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