Speaker Asad Qaiser lifts ban on entry of seven MNAs in National Assembly

F.P. Report

ISLAMABAD: National Assembly Speaker Asad Qaiser has lifted the ban on the entry of seven lawmakers in the House who displayed grossly disruptive conduct during the speech of Leader of the Opposition Shehbaz Sharif on budget two days ago.

According to the notification issued by NA Speaker Qaiser on Wednesday, entry of the following MNAs had been banned: Ali Gohar Khan (PML-N), Ch Hamid Hameed (PML-N), Sheikh Rohale Asghar (PML-N), Faheem Khan (PTI), Abdul Majeed Khan (PTI), Ali Nawaz Awan (PTI) and Syed Agha Rafiullah (PPP).

The National Assembly Secretariat on Thursday accordingly informed the above-mentioned legislators and the security staff about the lifting of the ban.

The united Opposition in a letter sent to the NA Speaker on Wednesday demanded lifting of the restrictions on the seven MNAs.

Local news channel reported that the NA Secretariat also directed the sergeants-at-arms not to let any member of the House take a booklet or water bottle inside the assembly.

Earlier in an informal chat with journalists in Islamabad, NA Speaker Asad Qaiser said that he had ordered action against those MNAs whom he had identified with the help of CCTV footages.

He said whatever had been happening on the floor of the House for the last few days was unfortunate, and was by no means a good omen for democracy. “It has been my endeavour to conduct the NA proceedings as per the rules and regulations,” he said, and added he was trying to bring both the ruling party and opposition MNAs on the same page.

“It is my request to MNAs on both sides of the political divide to give respect to the parliament since there is no compromise on its sanctity,” the speaker said, and added, “Bringing no-confidence motion in the parliament is opposition’s right, but at the same time I should remind them that they will have to respect the parliamentary norms.”

Asad Qaiser made it clear that he had no animosity with anybody, and that he had ordered action only to restore order in the NA. “We should set a precedent that is worth emulating for the future generations,” he stressed.

The speaker said he had met the prime minister, opposition leader in the NA and Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari on Wednesday (June 16). “I am in touch with the parliamentary leaders of political parties so that decorum could be maintained in the House,” he informed.

He vowed to keep performing his duties as per the rules and regulations.