The government’s insistence on obtaining a written commitment from the opposition to comply with five key conditions, including Rule 223 in the Assembly Rules, threatens to derail continuous negotiations on suspension of 26 MPAs.
Told sources Express Pakinomist This Treasury benches presses for a documented insurance. However, this demand has not been extensive discussed among Pakistan Tehreek-E-Insaf (PTI) legislators, many of whom are concerned with the party’s newly launched movement. A final decision is expected during an upcoming parliamentary party meeting, but most legislators are reportedly against submitting any security in writing to the negotiating committee.
The five conditions laid down by the committee include: to refrain from poor language, sloganeration, human rights violations, strict compliance of Rule 223 of the Punjab Collection Rules for the Procedure (1997) and the delivery of a documented obligation from the opposition.
Read: Punjab -Attaler offers suspended PTI MPA’s chance to present their case
According to sources, the opposition plans to persuade the committee to drop the demand for a written commitment. They consider the condition as an attempt to enforce silence under Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz’s speech something that the opposition has promised to resist. Several MPAs claimed that repetition of what is already codified in the rules is unnecessary.
Speaking of the Punjab assembly, Malik Muhammad Ahmad Khan, has repeatedly emphasized the requirement of written insurance, mentioning the opposition’s previous deficiencies to honor verbal agreements.
The opposition is expected to claim that this approach limits their right to protest in the assembly a forum they see as essential to express dissent, especially in the light of alleged abuse of PTI leaders and workers outside the house.
While the government is particularly focused on ensuring security against disturbance during speeches, the opposition can either refuse or provide a verbal commitment that leaves room for potential violations based on future circumstances.
However, a fraction within PTI suggests that submission of written insurance, even temporarily, could help empty tension and prevent speaker Khan from initiating disqualification references with the Pakistan Election Commission (ECP).
Sources also noted that the responsibility for June 27th Assembly Caus cannot only rest on PTI, as PML-N legislators were just involved in the scrub that broke out at the chief minister’s address. PTI legislators have also been denied access to CCTV recordings of the incident, they said.
Speaking Khan is reportedly abroad for three weeks, but may be chairman of the next session online via Zoom. In informal conversations with journalists, he previously acknowledged that Parliament was held “hostages” out of easing against the opposition, an attitude he is now sorry.
“There is a right to protest, but also a right to speak, and everyone must be heard respectfully,” he said. “Enough is enough. No hooliganism will be tolerated, come what can.”
He clarified that he would not condonate character assassination or prevent any member from speaking. However, he drew a fixed line against mob behavior, aggression and actions such as book-throwing of labeling of them completely unacceptable.
