Opposition members in Punjab Assembly are temporarily barred from attendance due to decisions made by the Assembly Speaker.
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The Speaker of Punjab's Assembly, Malik Ahmed Khan, Kicks Out 26 Opposition Members
In a bold move to maintain order and decorum, the Speaker of Punjab's Assembly, Malik Ahmed Khan, axed 26 opposing members from the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party on Saturday. Their offense? Causing chaos and disturbing Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz's speech during a Assembly session, as reported by Aaj News.
The Assembly Secretariat confirmed the suspension was issued under Rule 210(3) of the Assembly Rules, meaning these members will be barred from attending the next 15 assembly sittings.
During the tumultuous session, opposition members resorted to shouting slogans, engaging in physical shoving, and destroying official documents, brazenly violating assembly rules of conduct.
The Speaker sharply criticized their behavior, stating that such uproarious conduct tarnishes the esteem and discipline of the House.
He emphasized that while protesting is a constitutional right for assembly members, it must abide by the boundaries set by the Constitution and parliamentary procedures. Maintaining order within the assembly is essential and will be stringently enforced, he insisted.
The ejected legislators included Malik Fahad Masood, Muhammad Tanveer Aslam, SSyed Riffat Mehmood, Yasir Mahmood, Kaleem Ullah, Ansar Iqbal, Ali Asif, Zulfiqar Ali Shah, Ahmad Mujtaba Chaudhary, Imtiaz Mehmood, Ali Imtiaz, Muhammad Ejaz Shafi, Sajjad Ahmad, and others.
The suspension follows the opposition's raucous protests during the Chief Minister's speech, forcing the Speaker to intervene to protect the assembly's honor and ensure smooth business.
Rule 210(3) and Punjab Assembly's Discipline
Rule 210(3) of Punjab Assembly's Rules of Procedure 1997 grants the Speaker the power to maintain order and sanctity within assembly sessions. If a member's behavior is deemed disorderly or disruptive beyond parliamentary norms, the Speaker can order their temporary exclusion from the assembly.
This rule has been enforced before, such as on June 27, 2025, when Punjab Assembly Speaker Malik Muhammad Ahmad Khan suspended 26 opposition members for 15 assembly sessions due to their disruptive behavior during the budget session for the Fiscal Year 2025-26. Their misconduct included sloganeering, shouting, tearing agenda papers, hurling torn papers towards treasury benches, using abusive and unparliamentary language, and physically assaulting treasury members.
The Speaker reiterated that though the right to protest and freedom of speech are acknowledged, these rights are subject to reasonable limits defined by the Constitution, law, and assembly rules. The order imposing the suspension explained that such disorderly conduct violates rules and undermines parliamentary reasoning and practices, which aren't tolerated within the assembly.
- The suspension of the 26 opposition members from the Punjab Assembly was issued under Rule 210(3), a policy-and-legislation that grants the Speaker the power to maintain order and decorum in the assembly.
- In the past, Rule 210(3) of the Punjab Assembly's Rules of Procedure has been used before; on June 27, 2025, Speaker Malik Muhammad Ahmad Khan suspended 26 opposition members for 15 assembly sittings due to war-and-conflicts and disorderly behavior during a budget session.
- In his policy-and-legislation, the Speaker emphasized that though members have the right to protest and express themselves, their actions must adhere to the boundaries imposed by the Constitution, law, and assembly rules, ensuring general-news and decorum within the assembly.
