Eleven opposition lawmakers in Pakistan's Punjab Assembly have been banned for 15 sittings for using abusive language against the province's first female Chief Minister, Maryam Nawaz.
The lawmakers, belonging to the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party, allegedly called Maryam Nawaz "the Queen of mandate thieves and daughter of certified thief Nawaz Sharif". They also constantly interrupted her speech and launched verbal attacks on her. Maryam, 50, is the daughter of three-time former prime minister and archrival of Khan, Nawaz Sharif.
Speaker Malik Ahmad Khan took action against the opposition members, stating their conduct was "disorderly, beyond all parliamentary norms and practice".
“The members of the Provincial Assembly (PA) in question used abusive, unparliamentary, and offensive language against the CM, other PA members, and their families,” the speaker said.
Opposition leader Malik Ahmad Bachhar condemned the Speaker's action, saying the opposition members were punished for criticising Maryam for making the lives of 120 million people of Punjab through an anti-people budget.
He said through such action, the voice of the opposition could not be suppressed.
During Friday's session, opposition members tore copies of the budget document and continued shouting at Maryam during her speech, making her lose her temper. “I don't care your (about) protest ... you will continue this style of politics for five years and I will keep working,” she said.
The opposition also called her a “fake CM, who was installed by the military establishment” in the province.
(With PTI Inputs)
