LAHORE: Former Punjab law minister Basharat Raja has called Punjab Assembly speaker’s speech in the House “an unprecedented violation and departure from the rules of procedure”.

Reacting to Speaker Malik Muhammad Ahmad Khan’s speech, Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf leader Mr Raja said the demolition of institutions was continuing unabated.

“No rules permit the speaker making speech as a member, while the deputy speaker is chairing the house proceedings,” he said.

He said the speaker had delivered a speech in the House, which was the prerogative of Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz.

He said the speaker violated the rules of procedure of the assembly governing conduct of business because “Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz is toeing his father’s policy of silence vis-a-vis India”.

He said the chief minister’s absence/silence over such an important event was not a simple negligible act. In fact, he said, this was a continuation of Nawaz Sharif’s silence policy on the episode. Its food for thought, he added.

Published in Dawn, May 13th, 2025