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Speaker Malik Ahmed Defends Assembly Action, Warns of Disqualification Under Article 63
Speaker Punjab Assembly Malik Ahmed Khan: If a PM can be disqualified for false statements, why not those who disrupt the House? Defends suspension of 26 members.
ND
by News Desk
2025-07-07
Speaker Malik Ahmed Defends Assembly Action, Warns of Disqualification Under Article 63

Punjab Assembly Speaker Malik Muhammad Ahmed Khan has defended his recent actions against disruptive opposition members, warning that if a prime minister can be disqualified for making false statements, then lawmakers who turn the Assembly into a spectacle should also face disqualification under Article 63 of the Constitution.

Speaking at a press conference in Lahore, the Speaker addressed criticism over the suspension of 26 opposition members and the issuance of notices to several others following unruly scenes during the provincial budget session.

“Copies of the budget were torn, there was chaos, and even the finance minister was attacked. Should there not be limits on protests in the House?” he asked. “I do not accept that either the Leader of the House or the Leader of the Opposition should be silenced. My stance is about protecting the rights of 120 million people of Punjab.”

Malik Ahmed stated that some members had urged him to proceed under Articles 62 and 63. However, he strongly opposed the use of these controversial constitutional provisions. “Articles 62 and 63 are relics of dictatorship and were used against democracy. I won’t exceed my constitutional authority by even an inch,” he said, suggesting that if necessary, decisions should be considered under Article 148.

He reminded critics that PTI once supported the Speaker’s authority on the disqualification of Nawaz Sharif under Articles 62 and 63. He referenced the landmark ruling by Justice Asif Saeed Khosa, which gave the Speaker the authority to declare a seat vacant.

“If the Prime Minister can be disqualified for false statements, why can’t those who make a joke of the Assembly face the same?” he questioned, while criticizing those objecting to his decision to refer cases against opposition lawmakers.

He revealed that a decision on the reference against the opposition is expected within the next 26–27 days. “The suspension orders were issued upon requests from treasury members,” he clarified. “If the parliamentary party fails to hold dialogue, the process under Article 63(2) will proceed.”

Rejecting the notion that he was acting out of political vendetta, Malik Ahmed said: “I am not against anyone. I am protecting the dignity of the Assembly. I am a political person, and my foundation is not built on anyone’s incompetence.”

He also accused PTI of undermining democratic values while claiming to protect them. “The entire democratic structure of PTI is against the PML-N,” he added, noting that several members had submitted applications under Article 63(2) to safeguard their rights within the Assembly.

The Speaker’s strong words come amid heightened tensions between the opposition and treasury benches, raising the stakes for parliamentary decorum and democratic accountability in Punjab’s legislature.

 
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