LAHORE:Newly-elected members of the Punjab Assembly took oath of office on Friday in a session marred by intense uproar from the Opposition benches.
Those sworn in included Mian Sultan Ranjha, Ali Haider Noor Niazi, Azad Ali Tabassum, Tahir Pervaiz, Ahmed Shehryar and Muhammad Hanif. Punjab Assembly Speaker Malik Muhammad Ahmad Khan administered the oath.
The session grew noisy as Opposition lawmakers stood at their seats, thumping desks and chanting slogans, making it difficult to hear proceedings inside the House. Treasury members responded with counter-slogans, but the oath-taking process continued without interruption and all new MPAs were formally sworn in.
During the session, Punjab Minister for Parliamentary Affairs Mian Mujtaba Shuja-ur-Rehman criticised the Opposition for what he termed irresponsible conduct.Referring to the November 23 by-polls, Shuja-ur-Rehman said voters supported performance over allegations, adding that the public verdict reflected the leadership of Shehbaz Sharif. He accused the Opposition of resorting to boycotts whenever faced with political pressure and pointed to what he called the PTI’s humiliating defeat in KP-Lahore despite contesting the election with full force. The minister recalled that Nawaz Sharif, Shehbaz Sharif, Maryam Nawaz and Hamza Shehbaz were sent to jail in what he described as fabricated cases but faced the process with dignity.
He accused the PTI of staging protests outside the Assembly as if their leader had been caught red-handed, adding that the November 23 polls had unsettled the party.At this point, Speaker directed both treasury and opposition benches to refrain from making remarks against political leadership, advising all members to avoid comments that could provoke tension. The intervention came moments before loud sloganeering erupted from Opposition members in response to remarks made by the minister, prompting the Speaker to suspend proceedings for 10 minutes.
Earlier in the session, Opposition Leader Moeen Riaz Qureshi appealed to the government to allow a meeting with the jailed founder of PTI.The Opposition Leader said the KP chief minister had sought a meeting with the PTI founder under a High Court order, yet the administration continued to deny permission.
Meanwhile, Punjab Assembly Speaker Malik M Ahmad addressing a press conference here said that the treatment being given to the founder of PTI is fully in accordance with the jail manual. He said the manual contains provisions that empower the authorities to exercise discretion where necessary. He stated that Nawaz Sharif, Maryam Nawaz, Asif Ali Zardari, Shehbaz Sharif and Hamza Shehbaz had also been treated under the same rules in the past. He added that creating chaos outside the jail premises is unjustified and cannot be condoned under any circumstance. Speaker highlighted the gravity of the May 9 incidents, pointing out that monuments of martyrs were set on fire and Radio Pakistan was attacked and burned.
He noted that the discussion regarding the creation of new provinces is once again being brought into the political narrative and the most effective voice on the issue of new provinces is raised by Mian Aamer Mehmood.
To a question, the PA Speaker said that the recent remarks of former PM Nawaz Sharif were presented out of context. Nawaz Sharif did not call for any harsh treatment of any individual and his comments were misinterpreted.
Referring to past protests, Malik Ahmad said that one political group, TLP, repeatedly resorted to violent tactics in the name of demonstrations.He said that the system of accountability exists within the Assembly, yet the Opposition continues to stand against it. According to him, good governance, accountability and the elimination of corruption must be ensured through the legislative process within Parliament.
PA Speaker said he takes pride in the fact that the Punjab Assembly passed a record number of laws during the last two parliamentary years. He said that around 81 members from PTI, PMLN, PPP, PMLQ and the Istehkam Party reached a consensus that the local government system must be given constitutional protection.
He questioned why certain elements do not want the Assembly to function. He said lawmakers who receive large salaries must decide whether they want to resolve people’s issues or simply turn the Assembly into a platform for protests. He appealed that Assembly Hall One should not be turned into a place for hurling abuse, but should serve as a responsible centre for parliamentary expression.
