Lahore, July 7, 2025: Punjab Assembly Speaker Malik Ahmad Khan on Monday defended his decision to file a disqualification reference against 26 opposition MPAs, citing repeated violations of assembly decorum and the use of “unparliamentary and vulgar language” during recent proceedings.
Addressing a press conference in Lahore, the Speaker emphasized his role as a neutral custodian of the House but maintained that maintaining order and dignity within the assembly was non-negotiable.
“I have always strived to act as a responsible custodian of the House, but I cannot permit the use of vulgar or disruptive language on the assembly floor,” he stated.
The reference, filed with the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP), came in the aftermath of the Punjab Assembly budget session, during which opposition lawmakers, largely affiliated with Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), staged noisy protests, raised slogans, and reportedly disrupted proceedings by climbing onto desks and tearing official budget documents.
In an order dated June 27, Malik Ahmad suspended the 26 lawmakers under Rule 210(3) of the Punjab Assembly Rules of Procedure, 1997, barring them from 15 future sessions.
While confirming the suspensions, the Speaker said several members had also been issued formal notices for repeated misconduct.
“Protest is a democratic right,” he acknowledged. “But it must be exercised within limits. Climbing desks and tearing documents cannot be classified as legitimate political expression.”
Addressing concerns regarding the legal basis of the disqualification reference, Malik Ahmad referenced Articles 62 and 63 of the Constitution, which outline the qualifications and disqualifications for lawmakers.
“I personally oppose Articles 62 and 63, they are remnants of authoritarian rule, but as long as they are part of the Constitution, they must be applied uniformly,” he said. “It cannot be that these provisions are used selectively.”
He further argued that lawmakers had themselves cited Article 63(2) as a basis for accountability in previous cases, including the disqualification of a former prime minister in the Panama Papers verdict.
“If a prime minister can be disqualified for false statements, then those who repeatedly undermine the sanctity of the House must also be held accountable,” he added.
Despite the strong stance, the Speaker extended an olive branch to the opposition, urging them to return to the negotiating table.
“I’m still open to dialogue. Let’s sit and talk, there is still time to resolve this democratically,” he said. “But we cannot allow the Assembly to descend into chaos.”
The disqualification reference includes the following PTI-backed lawmakers Malik Farhad Masood, Muhammad Tanveer Aslam, Syed Riffat Mehmood, Yasir Mehmood Qureshi, Kaleem Ullah Khan, Muhammad Ansar Iqbal, Ali Asif, Zulfiqar Ali, Ahmad Mujtaba Chaudhary, Shahid Javed, Muhammad Ismael, Khayal Ahmad, Shahbaz Ahmad, Tayyab Rashid, Imtiaz Mehmood, Ali Imtiaz, Rashid Tufail, Muhammad Murtaza Iqbal, Khalid Zubair Nisar, Chaudhry Muhammad Ejaz Shafi, Saima Kanwal, Muhammad Naeem, Sajjad Ahmed Rana, Aurangzaib, Shuaib Ameer and Usama Asghar Ali Gujjar.
