LAHORE: The Punjab Assembly descended into chaos on Monday when a heated exchange between treasury and opposition benches turned physical, leading to lawmakers slapping each other in the middle of the session.
The scuffle broke out when government MPA Hassan Riaz interrupted a speech being delivered by a deputy opposition member. Opposition MPA Khalid Nisar Dogar lost his cool and slapped Hassan Riaz during the session, causing a sudden uproar in the House.
Things quickly got out of hand as more lawmakers jumped into the fray. Acting Speaker Malik Zaheer Iqbal Channar tried to restore order but eventually had to call off the session for five minutes due to the ongoing brawl.
Sources said the physical altercation began after some name-calling and taunting between Hassan Riaz and opposition member Khalid Zubair Nisar. Provincial Minister Zeeshan Rafiq also waded into the fight, making matters worse.
Despite repeated warnings from the acting Speaker, members continued to lash out at one another. What began as a single slap soon turned into a free-for-all, with both sides exchanging a flurry of slaps.
The brawl has raised serious concerns about the decorum and discipline inside the Punjab Assembly. Political analysts say such behavior sends the wrong message to the public and undermines the credibility of democratic institutions.
So far, there has been no official word on any disciplinary action against the members involved in the incident.
“This is not how elected representatives should behave,” said a senior Assembly official, speaking off the record. “We hope strict action will be taken to set the record straight.”
