Hassan Naqvi
LAHORE: The third session of the Punjab Assembly commenced on Friday with a bustling atmosphere as members gathered for the administration of oaths to individuals appointed to reserved seats. The proceedings encountered an early disruption as the opposition which comprises Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) backed Sunni Ittehad Council (SIC) staged a vociferous protest.
A notable aspect of the session was the swearing-in of 21 women on reserved seats and three members representing minority communities. Among the minority representatives taking oaths were Tariq Masih, Wasim Anjum, and Basrooji. The female representatives included Sadia Muzaffar, Fiza Maimoona, Abida Bashir, Maqsoodan Bibi, Amira Khan, Somia Atta, Rahat Afza, Rukhsana Shafiq, Tahseen Fawad, Farzana Abbas, Shagufta Faisal, Uzma Butt, Maria Talal, Sajda Naveed, Nasreen Riaz, Afsheen Hasan, Amna Parveen, Shahr Bano, Zeba Ghafoor, Rubina Nazir, and Syeda Sameera Ahmed.
Presiding over the ceremony, Punjab Assembly Speaker Malik Muhammad Ahmed Khan conducted the oath administration to the incoming members amidst opposition members besieging the speaker’s dais.
The members belonging to Sunni Ittehad Council chanted slogans against Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) and members of PML-N replied to them in a similar manner. The Speaker asked members belonging to both opposition and treasury benches to stay on their seats and tried his level best to maintain order in the House.
Prior to the oath-taking, the opposition raised concerns regarding the quorum, prompting a count by the speaker, who declared the quorum complete with 104 members present in the House.
After the oath taking ceremony around 11:15am due to pandemonium in the House which portrayed the picture of a fish market rather than the House of public representatives the speaker called off the session for five minutes and the session restarted after a break of around 30 minutes at 11:45am.
SIC members submitted resolution for release of PTI leadership
The members belonging to SIC submitted a resolution urging for the release of its founding chairman, Imran Khan, alongside other political leaders and journalists. Opposition Leader Rana Aftab Ahmad Khan and others and it was signed by 70 legislators belonging to SIC.
The resolution emphasized Imran Khan’s significant leadership role within the Muslim ummah and called for the dismissal of any unjust charges against him.
The resolution called for the immediate release of the former prime minister, currently detained in Adiala Jail, and demanded an end to the misuse of legal mechanisms. It also advocated for the release of other notable PTI figures such as former senior vice chairman Shah Mahmood Qureshi, PTI Punjab President Dr. Yasmin Rashid, PTI President and former chief minister Pervez Elahi, former governor Punjab Umar Sarfraz Cheema, as well as various political personalities including Sanam Javed, Ejaz Chaudhry, and Mian Mehmoodur Rasheed.
The resolution maintained that the allegations against PTI’s founder were politically motivated and lacked legal basis, the resolution criticized these actions for undermining the nation’s interests and public trust in the PTI. Additionally, it condemned the arrests of journalists and called for the dismissal of cases against them.
Speaking to The Frontier Post (TFP), SIC leader Rana Aftab Ahmad Khan reiterated Imran Khan’s pivotal role in Pakistani politics. He raised concerns about electoral discrepancies, citing discrepancies between Form 45 and Form 47, and emphasized the PTI’s commitment to upholding its rights.
Rana Aftab emphasized that beyond political battles, the PTI’s struggle was for the betterment of the nation and its institutions, particularly stressing the importance of an independent judiciary. He expressed disappointment over the loss of reserved seats and pledged to continue the PTI’s movement through lawful and constitutional means, while warning of potential protests both in the house and street if the party’s rights were not respected.
PPP submitted resolution to officially declare Zulfikar Ali Bhutto Shaheed
The Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP’s) parliamentary Leader in Punjab assembly Syed Ali Haider Gillani submitted a resolution in the Punjab Assembly which was unanimously passed by the Punjab Assembly and members belonging to SIC (read PTI) also voted for it which was the highlight of third session of the House, it was quite an interesting development for me given the fact that country’s politics is polarized at the moment.
Gillani maintained that the day of March 6, 2024, marks an extremely significant day in Pakistan’s judicial and political history, as the Supreme Court of Pakistan has handed down the death penalty in the murder case against the founder of the Pakistan People’s Party, Pakistan’s first elected Prime Minister, and the chairperson of the Islamic Shura Conference who gave Pakistan its agreed-upon democratic constitution, the late Zulfikar Ali Bhutto.
The resolution reads that the Supreme Court ruled that Mr. Bhutto was not given a fair trial in the murder case, thus rejecting its own 44-year-old decision. Prominent jurists around the world and the Pakistani public had already considered Mr. Bhutto’s death sentence a judicial murder. Additionally, murder cases against Mr. Bhutto had also been filed in Pakistani courts.
“Mr. Bhutto’s martyrdom has caused irreparable damage to Pakistani society, state, and politics, and its effects are still felt today, it is reassuring that the injustice done against him has been acknowledged,” the resolution reads.
Gillani maintained it was a conspiracy by a military dictator to physically eliminate a beloved and popular political leader through the courts to prolong his usurped power.
“The elected assembly of Punjab province, pays tribute to the late Zulfikar Ali Bhutto and honors his great achievements. It recommends conferring upon him the status of a national hero,” the resolution concludes.
The session also marked the presentation of audit reports from various departments and institutions, including the Punjab Forensic Science Agency, Punjab Information Commission, Punjab Social Protection Authority, Punjab Textbook Board, Punjab Judicial Academy, and Punjab Service Commission.
Outside the assembly, stringent security measures were implemented to ensure order and safety during the session, particularly given its early start at 9 am (previously scheduled for 3:00pm), as mandated by a notification from Punjab Governor Balighur Rahman.
Speaking to The Frontier Post (TFP), Speaker Malik Muhammad Ahmad Khan acknowledged the right of the Sunni Ittehad Council to protest, emphasizing the early session’s scheduling to accommodate members, especially considering it being a Friday.
As the assembly convened, expectations were high for a productive gathering, with Punjab Social Welfare Minister Sohail Shaukat Butt expressing determination to serve the province’s 120 million citizens, urging the opposition to engage constructively. Minister Bilal Yasin echoed similar sentiments, advocating for lawful protest while emphasizing a focus on positive politics and the welfare of the public.
