LAHORE: The opposition in the Punjab Assembly has been conveyed a clear message that Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz is a “red line” of the Punjab government, and crossing it may have serious consequences.

Last Saturday, 26 Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) members were suspended for 15 sittings for “daring to disrupt the speech of Ms Nawaz by resorting to rowdy behaviour.”

And for the first time in the history of the provincial legislature, some 10 opposition lawmakers were also slapped over Rs200,000 fine each on the charge of “damaging public property” during the budget session of the assembly.

A reference against these 26 members will also land in the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) with the signature of Speaker Malik Ahmad Khan, seeking their disqualification.

The opposition says what happened in the assembly the other day demonstrated that the ruling PML-N could not even tolerate slogans against its chief minister.

“The loyalists of Maryam Nawaz on Saturday declared in the assembly that she [Maryam] is their red line...anyone crossing it will be made an example. And one of the loyalists, the speaker, did so by suspending 26 MPAs for mere sloganeering. This is outrageous,” Opposition Leader in PA Malik Ahmad Khan Bhachar told Dawn on Monday.

The slogans that upset the chief minister called the Sharifs “thieves” and accused Ms Nawaz of misappropriating Rs10 trillion in development projects of Punjab.

“Where in a democracy, the lawmakers are suspended and fined for mere sloganeering and tearing agenda copies. Basically, the PML-N government doesn’t want to hear a word against Maryam Nawaz. If we do not raise the issues like corruption in development projects, the plight of farmers and the common man’s miseries, then who will,” Mr Bhachar asked.

“This is not acceptable to us, even if the speaker suspends all 106 PTI MPAs. This dictatorial action will one day come back to haunt the PML-N...I promise,” Mr Bhachar said. “Besides, we also raised the issue of incarcerated [PTI] leader Imran Khan’s condition, since Adiala Jail [Rawalpindi] falls under the administrative control of the Maryam administration,” the opposition leader said and added that their protest against the hybrid regime would continue despite its “atrocities”.

A ruling party leader, who wished not to be named, said that since Ms Nawaz was being particularly targeted by the PTI in Punjab, the PML-N decided to take on such elements with an iron hand. “Be it in the assembly or elsewhere, those targeting Maryam Nawaz despite her hard work to deliver, will not be spared,” he said.

As the PML-N and PTI lawmakers were at loggerheads in the assembly, the chief minister said the parliamentary system was the cornerstone of democracy and the real strength of the state.

“Parliament is not just a legislative body, it is a credible institution which ascertains and determines the thinking, wisdom and future direction of the nation. I salute all democratic parliament houses, including the Punjab Assembly. The assembly has set bright examples of the real strength of the federation of Pakistan and constitutional supremacy,” she said in the backdrop of the International Day of Parliamentarism marked worldwide on June 30.

Published in Dawn, July 1st, 2025