Punjab speaker forms ethics panel to curb hooliganism

LAHORE: Punjab Assembly Speaker Malik Ahmed Khan on Saturday announced the formation of an ethics committee to purge the legislature of hooliganism, a day after barring some lawmakers from attending 15 sessions of the provincial legislature over disruption. 

“We are forming the ethics committee to improve the assembly’s environment. The body will work to maintain decorum,” the speaker said ahead of Saturday’s sitting.

Khan said that decorum of the assembly has been deteriorating with every passing day due to the people inside it, referring to the shouting by opposition members during the speech of Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz in Friday’s Punjab Assembly session.

The Punjab Assembly speaker said that at least 20 “troublemakers” have been denied entry to the legislative body. Rowdyism won’t be tolerated in the house, neither unethical slogans, he said, pledging to avoid further deterioration of the environment in the provincial assembly. Khan said that running the house in a good way was his duty and he had the authority to take action against those creating hurdles in the conduct of sessions. He said he would have to use his authority if the legislators stooped so low and used foul language.

Security outside the provincial legislature was heightened in the light of a protest by opposition members. Leader of the Opposition in Punjab Assembly Malik Ahmad Khan Bhachar led the protest with the banned lawmakers chanting anti-government slogans.

Meanwhile, members on the opposition benches boycotted Saturday’s session as soon as it began. Speaking to the media, Bachar said that they wanted to ask the assembly speaker under which law were the lawmakers barred from attending the session. He alleged that the PA speaker’s decision was based on “prejudice” as the opposition’s protest in Friday’s session did not warrant suspensions. Bachar said the treasury benches started sloganeering, targeting the opposition members who went inside the legislature on Saturday while the speaker kept “enjoying” the scenario. Meanwhile, the Punjab Assembly on Saturday declared the US resolution on recent polls an interference in Pakistan’s internal affairs. The assembly passed a resolution condemning the US Congress’s resolution after it was presented by government member Ahsan Raza Khan.

According to the text of the resolution, the US resolution is an interference in Pakistan’s internal affairs and does not reflect the bilateral relations between Pakistan and the US. The resolution further stated that the US resolution attempts to create chaos in Pakistan and make the general elections controversial.

The text of the resolution approved by the Punjab Assembly also stated that Pakistan upholds democratic values and that all institutions believe in freedom of expression. The text mentioned that the US resolution was brought by the Jewish lobby and that the situation of human rights violations in Pakistan was incorrectly presented in the resolution.

The resolution also stated that Pakistan’s political parties are aware of democratic principles. The resolution mentioned that the US Congress should support Palestine and Kashmir instead of interfering in others’ affairs.

Inside and outside the Punjab Assembly, two sessions were held, and the opposition approved a symbolic resolution against the Defamation Bill. The opposition boycotted the assembly proceedings and walked out of the hall.

On the other hand, the opposition held a symbolic session where Qazi Ahmed Akbar presented a resolution to reject the Defamation Bill. The symbolic speaker of the Punjab Assembly asked the members to vote by raising their hands, and all members raised their hands to approve the resolution rejecting the Defamation Bill. The symbolic speaker Waqas Maan announced the symbolic rejection of the bill.