LAHORE, Sept 14: Opposition leader in the Punjab Assembly Qasim Zia strongly criticized the speaker on Wednesday for not sending a reference against the chief minister to the election commission even 36 days after its submission. In the reference, he had alleged that the chief minister had got written off his bank loans on the basis of which he should be disqualified as a member of the provincial legislature.

Mr Zia said under Article 63(2) of the Constitution, the speaker was bound to forward a reference within 30 days.

He recalled that he had also filed references against various turncoats which the speaker had not sent to the election commission, questioning his locus standi as parliamentary party leader.

But, he said, he had sent the reference against the chief minister as opposition leader and the speaker was not competent to block it.

Mr Zia said the speaker’s partisan attitude and reluctance to discharge his obligations had created a constitutional crisis.

He said opposition people were being pressured to change loyalties.

Asked if the opposition would move a no-confidence motion against the speaker, he said a decision on the subject would be taken by the parliamentary party.

PPP information secretary Naveed Chaudhry was also present at the news conference.