PA lauds passage of 26th amendment amid protest

LAHORE:

In a session marked by stark division, the Punjab Assembly passed a resolution praising the political wisdom of all parties for supporting the 26th amendment.

The opposition, however, staged a walkout, protesting alleged abductions of its members and what it called persistent mistreatment.

The treasury benches hailed the 26th amendment as a key milestone toward constitutional supremacy, while opposition members decried the alleged actions against them. Tensions rose as members from both sides exchanged claims, each championing the superiority of their political regimes.

Provincial Minister for Parliamentary Affairs Mian Mujtaba Shujaur Rehman, who introduced the resolution, emphasised that the amendment would strengthen democracy and promote political unity in Pakistan.

In a strong rebuke, Opposition Leader Ahmad Khan Bhachar condemned the conduct of the police and alleged involvement of agencies in intimidating opposition lawmakers.

Bhachar asserted, "The Punjab government handed over our MPAs to agencies to break their morale, but we stand firmly with Imran Khan till our last breath." Announcing the walkout, he criticized what he described as biased treatment towards the opposition.

Following the boycott, Speaker Malik Muhammad Ahmad Khan sent senior PML-N leaders to persuade the opposition to return.

Meanwhile, Provincial Minister for Transport Bilal Akbar announced plans to introduce 680 eco-friendly electric buses across Punjab, with Rs40 billion allocated for this initiative. Of these, 300 buses are earmarked for Lahore, 100 for Multan, 110 for Faisalabad, 42 for Bahawalpur, and the remaining distributed to other districts.