LAHORE: Punjab Assembly Speaker Malik Muhammad Ahmad Khan says there will be no compromise on the sanctity of the House, and Rule 223 of the PA Rules and Procedures will be implemented at all costs.
“The speaker’s office is not sending the reference, but I will do justice; everyone should respect the sanctity of the House,” said Malik Ahmad while talking to the reporters a day before leaving on a three-week foreign visit.
In his absence, Deputy Speaker Zaheer Iqbal Channar will serve as Speaker. The assembly circles are still abuzz with speculations about the fate of 26 suspended MPAs of the opposition in the absence of Malik Muhammad Ahmad Khan, who is reputed for being a law-abiding legislator.
Malik Ahmad emphasized that there was no ambiguity in Article 63(2) of the Constitution, which clearly states that if a question arises about the disqualification of a member, it is the Speaker who decides whether such a question has indeed arisen.
“If the Speaker does not make a decision within 30 days, the matter automatically refers to the Election Commission,” the Speaker clarified. Malik Ahmad informed the reporters that he had received three applications from Mujtaba Shuja-ur-Rehman, Ahmad Iqbal, and Iftikhar Chachar. He clarified that these were not references, but constitutional applications, which must be decided strictly in accordance with the Constitution.
Referring to a key incident from the past, Malik Muhammad Ahmad Khan recalled that in 2017, 22 MNAs of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf approached the then Speaker Sardar Ayaz Sadiq, demanding action under Article 63(2) of the Constitution based on a statement by Mian Nawaz Sharif.
Even at that time, he said, when the matter was not resolved within 30 days, the Supreme Court took a suo motu notice, which was constitutionally controversial since the apex court does not possess suo motu powers over another system of governance.
Malik Ahmad said he had encouraged both the government and the opposition to resolve the matters through dialogue. “Discussions were held on five key points, with both sides agreeing that foul language, sloganeering, and violations of human rights would be unacceptable in the House, and that Article 223 of the Constitution must be fully respected,” said the Punjab Assembly Speaker.
He said the opposition members will have to promise in writing that the sanctity of the House would be respected. He said the government and the opposition would sign an agreement, promising to ensure the sanctity of the House.
He added that the detained PTI leaders were now writing letters from jail for dialogue whereas they belonged to the same party whose members had moved a reference against an elected prime minister Nawaz Sharif. Ahmad said following the precedent set by the PTI, he will have to move toward the disqualification of the suspended MPAs of the opposition.
Malik Muhammad Ahmad Khan, who has served as MPA in 2002, 2013 and 2018 before returning to the assembly for the fourth term in 2024, said he will not stop anybody from protesting in a parliamentary way. “All I want to ensure is that the right of anyone to speak should not be obstructed,’’ he said, adding that his concern was quite serious regarding the acts of throwing books or any act that snubbed the fundamental rights of the elected members, including the chief minister.
“If there is one fundamental right regarding the dignity of a human being, it has to be safeguarded,” said the Punjab Assembly Speaker.
He said a woman legislator had complained to him of harassment, which was nothing less than a ‘bombshell’. To a question, Malik Ahmad said he never expected Justice Asif Saeed Khan Khosa and other judges to give such verdict in Panama case.
To another question, he said he would also respond in writing to the letter written to him by the KP speaker. Ahmad said he had seen the KP Assembly speaker sitting in the rally of a political party, which was not fair on his part, as he was holding the slot of speaker.
He added that his letter concerning Article 63-(2) will be in detail. He also stated that in recent days, an impression was being created that the speaker was eager to send references but the fact is that under the Rules of Business and constitutional provisions, the speaker’s role is both limited and clearly defined.
The speaker also noted that there had never been chaos in the House during a chief minister’s speech. While the opposition has the constitutional right to protest, it is equally important to uphold parliamentary norms and the sanctity of the House, he emphasized and reiterated that he does not believe in character-assassination or humiliation of any member, nor will he prevent anyone from speaking.
However, he said, the mob behavior, aggressive conduct, and acts such as throwing books were completely unacceptable. The Punjab Assembly speaker asserted that his goal was not to undermine anyone but to protect the sanctity of the House while remaining within the constitutional framework.
He said a decision will be made soon, and whatever is decided will be documented and agreed upon by both the government and the opposition to ensure a more conducive atmosphere in the House.
