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LAHORE, Jul 14 (APP):Punjab Assembly Speaker Malik Muhammad Ahmad Khan said on Monday that he had encouraged both the government and the opposition to resolve matters through dialogue.
Talking to journalists here he said, “In recent days, an impression is being created that the speaker is eager to send references. However, the fact is that under the Rules of Business and constitutional provisions, the speaker’s role is both limited and clearly defined.”
Malik Muhammad Ahmad Khan emphasized that there was no ambiguity in Article 63(2) of the Constitution.
He informed that he had received three applications from Mujtaba Shuja-ur-Rehman, Ahmad Iqbal and Iftikhar Chhachhar. He clarified that these were not references, but constitutional applications that must be decided strictly in accordance with the Constitution.
He said that discussions were held on five key points, with both sides agreeing that foul language, sloganeering and violations of human rights would be unacceptable in the House and that Article 223 of the Constitution must be fully respected.
The speaker also said that there had never been chaos in the House during a Chief Minister’s speech while the opposition had the constitutional right to protest, it was equally important to uphold parliamentary norms and the sanctity of the house. He reiterated that he does not believe in character assassination or humiliation of any member, nor would he stop anyone from speaking.
However, mob behavior, aggressive conduct and acts such as throwing books were completely unacceptable, he added. Malik Muhammad Ahmad Khan further said that the speaker of the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Assembly had sent him a letter regarding the suspension of opposition members, to which detailed responses along with constitutional interpretations were being sent.
The speaker asserted that his goal was not to undermine anyone but to protect the sanctity of the House while remaining within the constitutional framework. He said that a decision would be made soon, and whatever would be decided it would be in written form between the government and the opposition to ensure a more conducive atmosphere in the House.