On July 28, 2025, the Punjab Assembly in Pakistan descended into disorder during a session marked by physical altercations and heated disputes between opposition and treasury lawmakers clash. The unrest began when opposition member Khalid Nisar Dogar, from the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), slapped treasury lawmaker Hassan Riaz of the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) after an exchange of provocative remarks. The incident escalated quickly, with lawmakers from both sides engaging in a physical scuffle on the assembly floor, prompting Acting Speaker Zaheer Iqbal Channar to suspend the session for five minutes to restore order.
Details of Lawmakers Clash in Punjab Assembly
The chaos was fueled by underlying tensions over the recent disqualification of three PTI lawmakers—Senator Ejaz Ahmad Chaudhary, MNA Mohammad Ahmed Chattha, and Punjab Assembly Opposition Leader Ahmad Khan Bhachar—by the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP). These disqualifications followed convictions by anti-terrorism courts for their involvement in the May 9, 2023, violence, which erupted after the arrest of PTI founder Imran Khan. Opposition members protested the ECP’s decision, chanting slogans and accusing the government of political victimization.
Adding to the turmoil, opposition MPA Sheikh Imtiaz was suspended for 15 sittings after challenging the acting speaker’s ruling on the assembly’s quorum. Outside the chamber, further clashes occurred in the media hall, where PTI lawmakers alleged that private staff of treasury members hurled insults at them. The acting speaker condemned the behavior, calling it a violation of parliamentary decorum, and suspended Dogar for 15 sittings as well.
The session, already tense due to discussions about the May 9 convictions and allegations of government overreach, highlighted deep divisions within Pakistan’s political landscape. PTI lawmakers, including Chief Whip Rana Shahbaz Ahmad, questioned the labeling of their members as terrorists, while treasury members, led by Minister for Parliamentary Affairs Mian Mujtaba Shujaur Rehman, defended the court rulings and accused the opposition of destabilizing the province.
This incident is not an isolated event in the Punjab Assembly, which has seen similar disruptions in recent years, including a 2022 brawl involving attacks on the deputy speaker and protests over budget sessions. Political analysts express concern that such incidents erode public trust in democratic institutions, emphasizing the need for stricter enforcement of parliamentary conduct to maintain the assembly’s dignity.
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Published in SouthAsianDesk, July 29th, 2025
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