The provincial assembly of Punjab on Saturday passed a strongly-worded resolution against the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) while condemning the disqualification of PTI Chairman Imran Khan.
The House also demanded the removal of the chief election commissioner amid the noise and ruckus created by the PML-N lawmakers.
As per the details, the hurriedly called session of the Punjab Assembly started after a delay of more than two hours from its scheduled time with Speaker Sibtain Khan in the chair. As former chief minister Sardar Usman Buzdar stood on his seat to move the resolution against ECP, the MPAs of PML-N started chanting slogans against Imran Khan. Led by MPA Azma Bukhari, the lawmakers of PML-N recorded their protest while surrounding the Speaker’s dais.
Buzdar kept reading the resolution amid the noise of whistles being blown by the woman MPAs of PML-N. The opposition lawmakers included Pir Ashraf Rasool, Samiullah Khan, Azma Bukhari, Mian Rauf, Khalil Tahir Sandhu, Bushra Butt, Zaib un Nisa Awan and others. They kept playing the whistles despite the fact that they were warned by the speaker not to do so. The situation was tense at some moment when some woman lawmakers of PML-N tried to reach Buzdar.
The PTI MPAs also came forward in front of the Speaker’s dais to respond to the PML-N MPAs and to protect Buzdar and other senior ministers. MPA Rana Shehbaz of PTI demanded that a ban of 15 days should be imposed by the speaker on woman MPAs who were disturbing the proceeding of the House.
“Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf is the only federal democratic party of Pakistan and it is also a symbol of federation having representation in all the four provinces and two federating units,” the resolution said.
The decision of ECP is tantamount to damage to the federation of Pakistan, the resolution added. “The results of recently held by-polls have proved that Imran Khan is the symbol of the federation. The imported government wants to oust Imran Khan from the political field with the help of the ECP.
“They cannot compete with him in the political field,” said the resolution. They are trying to minus Imran Khan from politics after failing to defeat him. “This House strongly rejects this decision as it will be remembered as the black chapter in the political history of Pakistan,” said the resolution.
Speaker Sibtain Khan read the resolution to take the vote of the consent of the House and he read the content so passionately as if he was delivering a political speech. Throughout the process of resolution, the MPAs of PML-N kept surrounding the speaker’s dais to record their protest amid severe sloganeering against Imran Khan.
They were also carrying placards inscribed with slogans against Imran Khan. “Tabdeeli Khan is Certified Thief,” were the slogans inscribed on the placards. ‘Chor Chor…. Niazi Chor’ were the slogans being chanted by the opposition MPAs.
Senior PTI ministers including Mian Aslam Iqbal, Mian Mehmood ur Rasheed, Ali Afzal Sahi and Raja Basharat also delivered fiery speeches against the ECP. Speaker Sibtain Khan said that such noisy protests should not be recorded in the House. Later, he adjourned the House Sine die.
Meanwhile, Speaker suspended 18 MPAs of PML-N for 15 days for creating a ruckus in the House.
