By Asim Shahzad
LAHORE – Punjab Assembly Speaker Malik Muhammad Ahmed Khan has rejected references seeking the disqualification of 26 opposition members of the assembly. In a detailed six-page ruling, the Speaker maintained that no member of the assembly can be disqualified without a court decision.
Terming the move undemocratic, the Speaker stated that disqualifying elected representatives amounts to suppressing the public’s voice, which goes against the spirit of democracy. “References will not be allowed to become a weapon of political revenge. Differences of opinion in the assembly must be heard, not silenced,” he emphasized.
Malik Muhammad Ahmed Khan also criticized judicial verdicts such as the Panama case, calling them harmful to democratic norms. “Such decisions have weakened the system,” he asserted, while proposing that all political parties should come together on a single platform to formulate a “Charter of Assemblies” aimed at restoring the sanctity of the House and resolving political differences democratically.
Condemning recent protests in the assembly, the Speaker said such acts, while undesirable, do not justify disqualification. “Obstruction in legislative proceedings reflects the collective failure of political parties—it cannot be blamed on individual members,” he noted.
The ruling is being hailed in political circles as a bold step in favor of constitutional supremacy. Meanwhile, opposition leaders have welcomed the decision, calling it a validation of their stance.
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