The Punjab Assembly witnessed heated scenes on Tuesday after an exchange of remarks over election results triggered a confrontation between treasury and opposition members during the budget session.
The atmosphere turned tense after opposition lawmaker Basharat Dogar questioned the electoral victory of PML-N President Nawaz Sharif in the February 2024 General Elections, prompting strong reactions from government members.
Addressing the House, Basharat Dogar challenged the treasury benches, saying PML-N members should take an oath that Nawaz Sharif had genuinely won the election against Yasmin Rashid. He declared that if such a claim proved true, he would resign from his assembly seat.
Following the remarks, opposition lawmakers Basharat Dogar, Sadiq Khalid Nisar Dogar, Nadeem Sadiq Dogar and Khyal Castro, along with PML-N MPA Arif Mahmood Gul, left their seats and gathered in front of the Speaker’s dais. Members from both the government and opposition benches also moved towards the front of the House as tensions escalated.
During the protest, Chief Whip Rana Muhammad Arshad continued delivering speeches against the opposition, while government members responded strongly to the allegations.
Punjab Assembly Speaker Mujtaba Shuja-ur-Rehman criticized the opposition’s stance, saying they were claiming Nawaz Sharif had not properly won the election. Referring to similar allegations about Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz’s electoral victory, he remarked that the opposition had repeatedly claimed she won on the basis of Form 45, adding that they had even linked such claims to demands for resignations.
Government member Qudsia Batool also responded by asserting that all treasury members sitting in the House were elected on the basis of Form 45 and challenged the opposition to resign if it believed otherwise.
Throughout the commotion, Deputy Speaker Zaheer Iqbal Chanar repeatedly urged both government and opposition members to restore order and continue the budget proceedings. He asked Qudsia Batool to confine her speech to the budget discussion in an effort to bring the House back to normal business.
The session resumed after repeated appeals from the chair, although the exchange highlighted the continuing political tensions between the treasury and opposition benches.
Punjab Assembly passes resolution hailing Pakistan’s role in US-Iran peace deal
The Punjab Assembly on Tuesday unanimously passed a resolution commending Pakistan’s diplomatic role in facilitating peace the peace deal between the United States and Iran.
The resolution was presented by Punjab Health Minister Khawaja Salman Rafique during the assembly session and received unanimous support from lawmakers.
According to the text of the resolution, Pakistan demonstrated “brilliant diplomacy” during the US-Iran conflict, playing a significant role in promoting peace and stability. It stated that Pakistan’s efforts helped save the world from massive financial and human losses, enhancing the country’s honor and dignity on the global stage.
The resolution paid tribute to Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar and Field Marshal Asim Munir for what it described as their “historic initiative” in advancing peace efforts.
It further stated that Pakistan’s successful diplomatic engagement has strengthened the country’s reputation in the international community, with the world recognizing its wisdom, understanding, and commitment to peaceful conflict resolution.
The resolution concluded by appreciating Pakistan’s role in promoting regional and global peace through dialogue and diplomacy.
