Disqualification reference filed against SIC’s 26 Punjab MPAs

ISLAMABAD: Punjab Assembly Speaker Malik Muhammad Ahmad Khan on Thursday filed a disqualification reference against 26 lawmakers of Sunni Ittehad Council (SIC) , just a day after the ruling alliance boosted its numbers in the national and provincial legislatures thanks to the reserved seats judgment.

He filed this reference in the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) as the SIC members were found involved in hooliganism, disruption of House proceedings, tearing of budget documents, abusive behaviour and ignoring the speaker’s ruling.

Meanwhile, the MPAs are actually the PTI members who had contested the 2024 elections as independents and later joined the SIC in an attempt to seek an umbrella. However, the move backfired as the party led by the incarcerated Imran Khan lost an opportunity to get the PTI associates elected on reserved seats.

The incident had occurred while Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz was addressing the Punjab Assembly after the House passed the budget for 2025-26.

Earlier, Khan had suspended the membership of these opposition members for 15 sessions under Rule 210 of the Punjab Assembly.

HOOLIGANS

The document reads that the MPAs persisted with hooliganism in a clear violation of assembly rules and didn’t allow to main decorum in the House despite the speaker pleading repeatedly.

It also says that the action has been sought over the use of abusive language, hooliganism and creating disturbance.

The planned disruption forced the speaker to suspend the proceedings, it noted.

REALPOLITIK

Earlier this week, four opposition members were removed from standing committee chairmanships through no-confidence motions, as the PML-N decided to take a firm stance against the PTI.

Meanwhile, temperature is rising as both sides are not ready to give any room amid Imran’s desire to hold talks directly with the establishment to get concessions.

On Wednesday, Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur challenged the federal government to impose governor’s rule in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, as the PTI said the party vowed to make every effort for getting Imran Khan, Shah Mehmood Qureshi and others released.

However, the military has made it clear again and again that “the military is not interested in dialogue with political parties.”

Read more: DG ISPR refutes reports of backchannel contacts with Imran Khan

“We have been very clear about it. It is politicians’ job to have dialogue with each other. Please do not drag Pakistan armed forces, Pakistan Army into politics,” said ISPR DG Lt-Gen Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry.