LAHORE: The Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) has accepted the government’s challenge to present the data of its alleged victimisation before a parliamentary committee, asking the rulers to first seek permission from the “powers that matter” in this regard.

The challenge came during the general discussion on law and order in the the Punjab Assembly’s 20th session held on the PTI’s requisition here on Friday.

The sitting was held at the old building of the assembly after over three years.

Officials say that now sitting of the house will be held at the old building on every Friday to maintain its historical identity. A notification to the effect will be issued by Speaker Malik Muhammad Khan shortly.

Opening the discussion, opposition leader Malik Ahmed Khan Bhachar referred to the alleged victimisation of his party on the pretext of its May 9 and Nov 26 protests.

He said that ‘illegal’ action against the PTI by police and other agencies continues, while the government is declining to set up a judicial commission for a transparent inquiry into the incidents.

Clarifying that the demand for a judicial commission was not an attempt to seek any concessions, he said that if the government had a mandate to set up the commission, it would have averted many ensuing incidents.

Referring to the allegations of sedition against the PTI, Mr Bachar admitted that such accusations had also been leveled against the PML-N when it was in the opposition, but the measure could not annihilate the party now ruling the country.

He warned that if political parties failed in the negotiations and kept waiting for ‘signals’ (from the powers that be), the country could face anarchy and the next generation of Pakistanis will also have to wait for good times.

Law Minister Sohaib Bherth countered the opposition’s attack and challenged Mr Bhachar to come up with data on the alleged deaths at D Chowk, Islamabad, on Nov 26, arrests and FIRs against the PTI workers for investigation through a parliamentary committee before going for a judicial commission.

He asked if those martyred in uniform would also be counted -- a reference to the Rangers and police officials who died while controlling the PTI protests in Islamabad.

Treasury MPA Samiullah Khan endorsed the offer and said it could be a great step at the Punjab Assembly level. He, however, said that the PTI had been declining the parliamentary committee’s offer in this regard made in the National Assembly.

Earlier, the opposition MPAs boycotted the house proceedings in protest against theirprivilege motion related to law and order not forwarded to the standing committee on privileges.

However, Deputy Speaker Malik Zaheer Iqbal Channar deputed Mr Bherth and seasoned politician Saimullah Khan to bring the opposition back to the house.

Three bills – The Punjab Alternate Dispute Resolution (amendment) Bill 2025, the Punjab Prohibition of Kite Flying (amendment) Bill 2025, and the Probation of Offenders (amendment) Bill 2025 – were also introduced in the house by the law minister.

Published in Dawn, January 11th, 2025