National Assembly members suspended for disruptive behaviour

ISLAMABAD: The National Assembly Speaker Ayaz Sadiq suspended two lawmakers for disruptive behaviour during President Asif Ali Zardari’s address at a joint session of Parliament.

The memberships of two Sunni Ittehad Council (SIC) lawmakers Jamshed Ahmad Khan Dasti and Muhammad Iqbal Khan was suspended by the NA speaker on Friday.

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The suspension comes following heavy disruption by the Opposition marked by blowing horns and chanting slogans during Zardari’s session.

According to reports, the motion was introduced by the National Assembly speaker who stated that both lawmakers approached the speaker’s dais in a “threatening” manner and engaged in disruptive actions. The speaker argued the disruption violated the sanctity of the NA.

The membership were suspended for the current session in accordance with rule 21 of the “Rules of Procedure and Conduct of Business in the National Assembly” of the Parliament Joint Sitting Rules 1973.

An offical statement claimed that the decision was made to uphold the “decorum and integrity of parliamentary proceedings”.

However, Muhammad Iqbal Khan defended the Opposition’s protest, saying they were committed to upholding the constitution and the law in Pakistan. He warned of continued protests against what he described as a government led by “thieves and dacoits.”

Read more: President Zardari addresses first joint session of Parliament

Zardari addressed the current government’s first joint session of Parliament on Thursday, in which he called for “collaborative efforts” to address the nation’s challenges.

The joint session was chaired by the NA speaker and the Senate Chairman, with foreign ambassadors attending as guests.

During the session, Zardari outlined the his vision for the country’s future with a focus on economic reforms and the importance of fostering cordial relations between provinces. This session was also Zardari’s seventh address to the joint session.