Punjab Assembly Forms Ethics Committee Amid Rising Tensions
Speaker Takes Action to Address Declining Decorum and Ethical Standards
Lahore – Punjab Assembly Speaker Announces Ethics Committee
Punjab Assembly (PA) Speaker Malik Muhammad Ahmed Khan announced on Saturday the formation of an ethics committee to address the “deterioration of decorum” in the house witnessed in recent days.
“The [assembly] has been deteriorating day by day, the cause of which is the people inside it,” he stated. “In these times, when [lawmakers] completely fall from ethical standards, when foul language is used, how will conduct be maintained in the house?”
Suspension of Opposition Members
The announcement follows the barring of 11 opposition members from attending the next 15 sittings of the house. These members, from the PTI-backed Sunni Ittehad Council, were suspended for “rowdyism” during a speech by Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz. The suspended MPs include Zulfikar Ali, Shehbaz Ahmed, Muhammad Atif, Tayyab Rashid, Imtiaz Mahmood, Hafiz Farhat Abbas, Ejaz Shafi, Rana Aurangzeb, Shoaib Amir, Osama Asghar Ali Gujjar, and Asad Abbas.
Recent Incidents and Speaker’s Remarks
The PA speaker, addressing the media, recounted recent incidents where the assembly’s conduct had declined significantly. What began as disruption through sloganeering had escalated to “unfiltered abuses and obscenities.” Malik cited four instances in the past few weeks where lawmakers had abused each other and questioned how proceedings could continue in such an environment.
Ethics Committee’s Role
Malik announced the formation of the ethics committee to oversee the conduct of lawmakers from the day the assembly convened, emphasizing that privileges come with responsibilities and that breaches of these privileges would not be tolerated. He urged members to read the assembly’s rule book to understand their boundaries.
Opposition MPs Stage Protest
Following the speaker’s orders, opposition MPs staged a protest at the assembly’s entrance. Videos showed a large police presence with only PML-N members allowed inside. Opposition lawmakers forced their way in while chanting anti-government slogans and calling for the release of PTI founder Imran Khan.
Opposition Leader’s Response
Opposition leader Ahmad Khan Bhachar condemned the suspension of the 11 lawmakers as “unjust” and stated that he would not bow to the Punjab government. He announced that opposition members would remain at the assembly entrance and hold their own session until the suspended MPs were allowed back in. Bhachar alleged that the PA speaker’s decision was prejudiced and that the opposition’s protests did not justify the suspensions.