LAHORE:
The 26 PTI legislators in the Punjab Assembly, which were suspended in view of their disruptive behavior, have not yet taken the opportunity of an audience provided by the speaker of the legislature, Malik Muhammad Ahmed Khan.
President Khan on June 27 suspended these MPA for creating “interruption, uproar and indecent slogans” during the speech of the Punjab Prime Minister, Maryam Nawaz, in Chamber 3 under rule 210 (3) of the Rules of Procedure, Provincial Assembly of Punjab, 1997.
The speaker had allowed legislators to appear in their camera and give an explanation before July 11 (today). Talking to the Express PAkGazette, leader of the opposition Malik Ahamd Khan Bhachaha, who belongs to the PTI, confirmed that they were consulting with their legal team about the speaker’s opportunity.
“We will make a decision regarding the speaker’s audience at a parliamentary meeting that will be held on July 11 (today),” he added.
A reliable source looking for anonymity told Express PAkGazette that most PTI MPA are willing to take advantage of this opportunity, place their case before the speaker and ask if they could be suspended in response to their protest during CM speech.
The speaker Khan also received references for the disqualification of the MPA under article 63 (2) Read with article 113 of the Constitution and it is mandatory to decide these references within 30 days.
The speaker on June 28 also sought the recovery of damage to RS2,035,000 of 10 MPa of PTI, RS203,550 each, on the assembly in its desks and breaking 8 microphones during its protest on June 16 when the provincial government presented the budget.
The speaker Khan had also ordered that the opposition Mpa Hassan Malik (PP-81) remained absent from the assembly until the extended session. He had issued this order after Hassan Malik launched a budget speeches book to the Minister of Finance Mian Mujtaba Shujaur Rehman.
On June 24, Khan also ruled that “all members, regardless of their political affiliation, to preserve the decorum, [will] Keep the dignity of this August Assembly and make sure that parliamentary procedures can continue without interruption. “
He had warned that in the future “it would take all the steps within the legal framework to maintain order and maintain the dignity of this house in August and its members.” He had given this decision in response to Bhachar’s order that protest is a constitutional right.
To determine if the right to protest and freedom of expression is an absolute right of members, the speaker mentioned rule 223 of the procedure.
The opposition leader strongly condemned these orders. He made it clear that the opposition will continue his protest.
