The political landscape of Punjab witnessed a seismic shift as the ruling coalition, spearheaded by the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N), suffered a significant blow, losing 27 reserved seats in the provincial assembly. The turmoil unfolded when Speaker Malik Mohammad Ahmed Khan suspended 24 women and three minority Members of the Provincial Assembly (MPAs), disrupting the assembly’s proceedings.
This move, stemming from a point of order raised by opposition lawmaker Rana Aftab of the PTI-backed Sunni Ittehad Council (SIC), has thrown the assembly into disarray.
The controversy surrounds the allocation of reserved seats, with the Supreme Court intervening to suspend the Election Commission of Pakistan’s decision regarding the allocation of seats to the SIC. The opposition argued that the SIC had neither contested elections nor submitted a list of nominees for the reserved seats.
Speaker Khan, after seeking legal opinions, ruled in favor of the opposition’s argument, leading to the suspension of the 27 members.
Among the suspended MPAs were representatives from various parties, with the majority belonging to the PML-N. The suspension has not only disrupted the functioning of the Punjab Assembly but also has ramifications for the ruling coalition at the national level. With President Asif Ali Zardari summoning the National Assembly session, a similar scenario is expected to unfold, further destabilizing the government.
The allocation of reserved seats has been a contentious issue, with the ECP withholding notifications due to disputes over seat distribution. This dispute has now spilt over into the provincial and national assemblies, threatening the stability of the government Read More…