Punjab Assembly Speaker Malik Muhammad Ahmad Khan has recommended legal action against those involved in chaos that erupted during the arrival of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Sohail Afridi to the provincial legislature’s building.
The report, prepared by a committee constituted by the speaker, concluded that individuals accompanying the KP chief minister entered the House without proper authorisation, triggering chaos and physical altercations with assembly security staff.
Citing the findings, the speaker said that people were brought into the Punjab Assembly whose names were not included in the approved visitors’ list. He accused those accompanying CM Afridi of disrupting proceedings and engaging in scuffles inside the House.
According to the inquiry report, legal action has been proposed against persons found involved in “hooliganism”, while assistance from law enforcement agencies has also been recommended to further investigate the incident.
The committee noted that the opposition had provided only a list of names of individuals accompanying the KP chief minister, without essential identification details.
Due to the absence of CNIC numbers, photographs or vehicle registration details, security officials faced serious difficulties in verifying identities.
The report further revealed that an individual identified as Matiullah Barqi attempted to enter the assembly by falsely claiming he was KP Assembly member Ashfaq from constituency PK-89. However, KP provincial minister Meena Khan later confirmed that Barqi was not MPA Ashfaq.
When asked to leave the premises, Barqi reportedly engaged in verbal abuse and scuffled with security personnel, the report stated.
The inquiry also highlighted that the opposition had assured that two PTI lawmakers would remain present at the main gate to facilitate identification, a commitment that was not fulfilled.
Additionally, the report disclosed that the opposition-provided list included the name of a convicted individual, Haider Majeed, raising further concerns over due diligence.
It added that despite repeated requests by assembly security for identity verification, personnel were subjected to pushing, verbal abuse and physical jostling. The Assembly Secretariat recorded statements of security staff present at the scene as part of the investigation.
The report came a day after KP CM Afridi wrote a letter to Punjab CM Maryam Nawaz, voicing serious concern and lodged a strong protest over alleged ill-treatment during his recent visit.
The PTI-backed KP CM arrived in Lahore on December 26 for a three-day visit to partake in political activities, including a scheduled visit to the Punjab Assembly.
His visit to the Punjab Assembly, however, was marred by altercations between members of his delegation and the security officials. Both sides blamed each other for the scuffle in the provincial assembly. –Agencies
