PA turns stormy over Imran's treatment
The Punjab Assembly witnessed a stormy session on Friday as opposition lawmakers staged a vociferous protest over the treatment of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) founder and former prime minister Imran Khan, accusing the government of disregarding Supreme Court directions regarding his medical treatment and warning that they could be forced to resign from the assemblies if they continued to be "pushed against the wall".
The session, presided over by Punjab Assembly Speaker Malik Muhammad Ahmad Khan, began two hours and six minutes behind schedule amid an opposition announcement of a "full-fledged protest".
Proceedings later descended into disorder after opposition lawmakers were denied further opportunities to speak.
The lawmakers surrounded the speaker's dais, chanted slogans and boycotted the proceedings before staging a protest on the assembly stairs.
The opposition's main grievance centred on the government's handling of Imran Khan's medical treatment.
Opposition Leader Moin Riaz Qureshi alleged that the government had disregarded Supreme Court directions regarding the former prime minister's treatment, claiming that he was moved to PIMS instead of being shifted to Shaukat Khanum or Shifa Hospital.
"The government has thrown the Supreme Court's orders to the winds," Qureshi said, alleging that the directions had been issued after PTI and Imran Khan's family repeatedly approached the superior judiciary seeking proper medical treatment for him.
Qureshi claimed that Imran Khan had been in prison for nearly three years and had been unwell for around 10 months, questioning why the government was not taking his health concerns seriously.
"If the former prime minister does not get justice, the common man will lose faith in the courts," he said while speaking in the assembly and later addressing protesters outside the house.
The opposition leader also questioned the implementation of judicial decisions, saying judges should stand by their rulings.
"If their decisions are not implemented, then what is the benefit of courts?" he asked.
Qureshi accused the government of creating an environment in which PTI and its leadership were being deliberately pushed to the wall.
"We are democratic people. Do not push us so far that we are forced to resign," he warned.
He said the opposition could expose what he described as the "fraud of democracy" and ultimately resign from the assemblies if the situation continued.
The situation inside the house became tense when a treasury member allegedly used inappropriate language against Imran Khan.
Speaker Malik Muhammad Ahmad Khan immediately took notice and issued a stern warning, saying he would not tolerate personal attacks or derogatory remarks against political leaders in the house.
"If anyone again makes such remarks against any political leadership, I will not tolerate it," the speaker warned.
He said no member would be allowed to ridicule another political leader and warned that anyone violating parliamentary decorum could be expelled from the house.