WATCH: Firdous Ashiq Awan barred from entering Punjab Assembly

Former CM’s aide was taken aback after ‘someone removed her name from guest list’

Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leader Dr Firdous Ashiq Awan was caught off guard on Monday when she was barred from entering the Punjab Assembly building to attend the oath-taking ceremony of MPA Ahsan Saleem Baryar.

Days after resigning as Chief Minister Usman Buzdar’s special assistant, Awan went to the provincial legislature for the first time but she was taken aback when she was stopped by the security personnel deployed at the entrance of the assembly building.

ہائے ہائے یہ کیا ہوا،گھر باہر لوگوں نے آنکھیں ہی بدل لیں،لیکن یقین رکھیے باجی نے بالکل محسوس نہیں کیا ہوگا،عزت کا کیا ہے آنے جانے والی چیز ہے،عہدہ ہونا چاہیے،لیکن مجھے سچ میں افسوس ہوا،اللہ پاک کی لاٹھی بے آواز ہے https://t.co/cVApRxXBtH

— Azma Zahid Bokhari (@AzmaBokhariPMLN) August 9, 2021

The security officials told Awan that her name was not included in the list of guests, who were invited to attend the swearing-in ceremony of the PTI lawmaker.

Also read: Firdous, Awn Chaudhry resign as Punjab CM's aides

Speaking to the media later, Awan said she was not be allowed entry into the assembly because the ceremony had already ended by the time she arrived.

“My name was in the list but later it was removed and I don’t know who removed my name from the guest list,” she added.

Amid media reports surrounding her meeting with Prime Minister Imran Khan, Awan said in a tweet that she met with the premier in a “pleasant atmosphere” at Punjab Governor house in Lahore.

وزیراعظم عمران خان سے آج گورنر ہاؤس میں ملاقات خوشگوار ماحول میں ہوئی۔وزیراعظم آفس سے باقاعدہ ملاقات کا پیغام موصول ہوا۔چند شرپسند عناصر سے وزیراعظم عمران سے ملاقات ہضم نہیں ہو رہی اورجھوٹابے بنیادپراپیگنڈہ کیاجارہاہے۔حاسدین کے ہاتھ میں کچھ نہیں آئے گاسوائے مایوسی کے

— Dr. Firdous Ashiq Awan (@Dr_FirdousPTI) August 9, 2021

حاسدین ذہن نشین رکھیں وزیراعظم سے بغیر شیڈول کوئی بھی ملاقات نہیں کرسکتا۔پروٹوکول سے کال موصول ہونے کے بعد ہی میں نے وزیراعظم عمران خان سے ملاقات کی۔میرے حوالے سے بے بنیاد خبریں چلواکر میڈیاکی سکرینوں کو آلودہ کرنے والے ایسے نادان دوست ہوش کے ناخن لیں

— Dr. Firdous Ashiq Awan (@Dr_FirdousPTI) August 9, 2021

Last week, Awan tendered her resignation as special assistant to the provincial chief executive, less than a year after being appointed to the position, citing "unavoidable personal grounds".

Without shedding further light on reasons for her resignation, Firdous expressed her gratitude to Prime Minister Imran Khan for "posing confidence in me to undertake the herculean task" of highlighting the "outstanding and remarkable performance of the government of Punjab".

She also thanked CM Buzdar for his "scrupulous support ... from time to time which kept me motivated and steadfast in accomplishing the professional goals set for me by my party".

Footage of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf leader Firdous Ashiq Awan being stopped from entering the Punjab Assembly has gone viral #etribune #FirdousAshiqAwan #PunjabAssembly #ViralVideo pic.twitter.com/Hd29iU4Jpw

— The Express Tribune (@etribune) August 9, 2021